PostcardsfromOMAHA

The most luxurious leather bag brand you've never heard of

2012-01-20T11:30:00.000-06:00

My Valextra bag

Monogrammed, of course...

Perspective.

I guess that's what you could call my viewpoint on expensive, designer clothing and accessories.

Just take a look at my store's blog and the post I wrote this morning about designer consignment...

For as long as I can remember I've been a bargain shopper. I could never pass up a good deal. And thank goodness for that as I had expensive tastes! Even at a young age, I coveted items: Pappagallo Bermuda bag, Guess zipper-ankle jeans, Clinique gift-with-purchase promos. I loved anything and everything that had to do with shopping. When I was 15, I went to work at a local clothing boutique so that I could shop more, but at an employee discount. Again, always looking for that edge in saving some money.

When I went to work in the fashion business, I was introduced to the sample sale. The ultimate in bargain shopping. But then I discovered one thing even better. Shopping for free.

Walking through a designer's showroom, often times I left with a bag of my choice. Or the bag arrived sometime later after the products went into production. At first, it was...like...OMG! You couldn't believe it. It was too good to be true. Whaaaaaattt?!?!?!?! I get to keep it????!!!!!

Sadly, the allure of it all wears off. Isn't that terrible?

I was cleaning my closet the other month and I came across my Valextra bag. Many have probably never heard of this ultra-luxe Italian brand, and I always think I'm accidentally saying the herpes or erectile disfunction medications....but I digress...

Valextra is a super fancy-shmancy leather goods company based in Milan. It's kind of like the Italian Hermès but not as extensive or ubiquitous. When I covered accessories for In Style, I was fortunate to get the grand tour of their showroom when they first relaunched...and then at the end the President of the company asked me to pick out a bag. There were so many divine ones. I remember my one fashion director got a tall tote and my other fashion director received a laptop case. I knew I would get so much use out of the same tote but I decided on something more special, a bag that I would never really buy myself, a structured little thing that would be a treat.

I settled on this little baby (something similar can be found here). It's like a camera bag with a long strap that you can wear cross body or you can hold it in your hand with the handle attached. It's really precious. And truth be told, I've probably used it maybe twice. If that.

We didn't leave the showroom with our bags in tow; the President had our initials monogrammed onto the zipper pulls and the bags were messengered to our hotel. I know. Totally, insane luxury and service.

I don't take it for granted. I am in awe of everything I was exposed to and experienced. But now I must admit, I can't imagine ever spending $2300 on that bag, however pretty it may be. I was really lucky having a job that my mom said was "like I created the job that I wanted all my life." I was the extreme bargain shopper! And it helped justify all the money I spent on other things since I got the bulk of many things for free. In some ways, it was the most terrible occupation of all for a bargain shopper like myself.

Now, I just cringe when I see the prices of designer bags, accessories, shoes and clothing. I may be four years out but it seems like a lifetime ago. But then again, I never had to pay retail for these luxuries. So for now, I'll stare into my closet and hope that one day my daughter won't feel the same need as I did and instead just be happy with what she can inherit. She's so tiny, I hope that her feet someday grow into a size 37!

Those Krazy Koreans!

2012-01-19T20:44:00.000-06:00

Annabel is turning 1 and that means it's time to throw a party. But not just any party. But a Korean first birthday party, otherwise known as a "doljanchi."

A Korean 1st birthday is called a "dol" and the party is called a "doljanchi" and there are all sorts of rituals that take place.

I'm pretty excited about it. Mostly because my parents and my sister will be coming to town and also because, in a strange way, I've really grown to embrace my Korean heritage and am excited for all the fun and games involved.

But it takes a ton of work beforehand to make it all...well...work!

I started to do some research online to find out about how to go about preparing for a dol. I knew that there were "towers" to be made, rice cakes to be found, and specific objects to be presented for the every-crowd pleaser: the doljabi. This is a game where the baby is placed in front of objects that can include: a stethoscope, a pen, a bowl of uncooked rice, a long spool of thread/yarn, a bow and arrow, money, a book. This is a sort of "fortune telling" to see what the child will be and have when he grows up. Rice symbolizes that he/she will never go hungry, the yarn indicates a long life, the bow and arrow is kind of antiquated as it meant being a warrior (modern day says military commander).

All during this time, the baby is dressed in a traditional brightly colored Korean outfit called a hanbok. I received Annabel's hanbok around Christmas time and it is so pretty with pink, green and yellow. I just hope that she doesn't cry when I put it on her! Especially the hat!

Is this baby the cutest or what? (Besides Annabel of course.)

For the doljanchi, it's important to have food "towers" or food stacked up high that symbolizes abundance and a life that is rich and bountiful. If you see the towers above and below, they're all hand-made by hot-gluing the candies or the beans onto cylinders (I've been researching and many say to use paper towels) in intricate patterns ranging from the Lunar Year animal, zig zags, the baby's Korean name or name in Korean. IT IS ABSOLUTELY MIND-BOGGLING!

I created an alternative option to some of these towers and just hope that they pass muster. My mom has informed me that she is planning on making a couple towers the night before the party. She has some method of using a styrofoam cylinder (I looked at Michael's and at Hobby Lobby and neither had anything of the sort) and using straight pins and poking soft candies into the foam in a pattern. She said she is bringing her supplies with her! I'm now just responsible for buying a lot of fruit.

In addition to the towers and fruit stacks, there should also be special sweet, sticky rice confections as well as a giant "dduk" rice cake. You can see the special confections in both the photo above and below in front of the towers. None of these photos include the special cake -- that is something I have special ordered from the local Korean grocery here in Omaha. I will also be serving some other special Korean items from Midwest Oriental Foods as well as some more American birthday stuff.

Many Koreans and Korean-Americans rent out banquet halls for the doljanchi. And hire professional photographers as well (as you can see from all these photos that are from KokoLiving). From the looks of all these photos, we're talking small wedding budgets!

I did find an adorable site called Little Seouls Party that specializes in Korean 1st birthday items as well as just cute Korean gifts. I ordered a few things from there to help the decor look decidedly more Korean.

I leave you with some more photos from the Koko Living site...and stay tuned for photos from Annabel's upcoming doljanchi. It won't be as elaborate as these pictures, but it'll be festive nonetheless!

source for all photos: KokoLiving

Show Me How You Do That Trick

2012-01-19T00:15:00.002-06:00

One of my top ten all-time favorite songs is this very upbeat one from The Cure. I know "Just Like Heaven" is so overplayed and so recognizable. But I can't help it. If there was any song that can truly lift my spirits and make me happy at once, this is it.

This song is from their Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me album from 1987. I was lucky enough to see The Cure live in concert on this tour. I don't remember who I went with or what I wore, but I'm sure I was just this side of Goth and had good 80s hair and makeup to boot.

7 down, 3 to go. And the remaining songs are all by Brits, of course!

The Joys of Being in your 40s

2012-01-17T13:53:00.000-06:00

A couple months ago I had lunch with a friend of mine who has a full time "serious" job. Annabel was with me (as she often is) and we got to the topic of whether she considered having children. After some joking aside, she said that she would have to drastically change her whole life in order to have children the way she would want to have them.

Did I mention she is the primary breadwinner of her family?

To a certain degree, I know what she is talking about. One of the driving reasons why I moved to Omaha was that I knew I wanted to have children one day (and at age 37 I knew it had to be sooner than later), and that frankly I wouldn't be able to afford having a child on my own in NYC nor did I want to continue my fast-paced career to have a nanny raising my kids.

Like how I didn't mention a husband if I was in NYC? At age 37, my dating life was practically non-existent and my desire to have a baby was far outweighing the prospects of getting knocked up the old-fashioned way. I seriously considered my non-traditional options.

My friend and I talked about the phrase: "A woman having it all." That usually included the following: a thriving career, a doting husband, wonderful children. If you're a full-time working mom, I don't think you can sit there and honestly think that you have it all if you have a nanny spending more hours per week than you do with raising your children. And for all you full-time working moms who think I'm being judgmental, I'm not. I am merely stating the facts that you really "don't have it all." Unless you think that having kids and not raising them is really the best and you wouldn't have it any other way. (That's the only person I would feel fine to judge -- and that person should not have children.)

Some woman I've known have told me that they could never be a stay-at-home mom. That they would "go crazy." They need the intellectual fulfillment of working. They enjoy being part of a team at work. They would make "an awful housewife since they don't cook."

I totally get it. I really do. But again, my point is more about the phrase "having it all" and not about being a SAHM vs a working mom. I just don't think that phrase works at all. It's rather misleading to say that a woman really is so happy to be able to go to work and leave her babies behind all day. That it's "having it all!"

In less than a month, the Fall collection fashion shows will be underway. For me that meant working from 10am-10pm for about one month straight. Including a 20 day stint out-of-the-country. And I know scores of women who left their families behind to attend these shows. Back then, I didn't know how they did it, and now after having a child of my own, I really don't know how they do it! I just couldn't do it. And no, I'm not saying that makes me a better person. I'm really just saying that I really know myself. That I knew, even before I had children, before I moved to Omaha, that I would not be able to work full time and be a mom in the capacity that would make me happy. And let me tell you, being 42 years of age and knowing exactly who you are, and what you want from life....it's really, really refreshing.

Whoever said being in your 40s was a drag was wrong. I love the sense of clarity. I love the sense of self. I love not having to prove anything to anyone. And most importantly, I love being a mom and having the gift of being able to watch my daughter grow up in front of my very own eyes. It is a gift and I know it. And for you SAHMs who get down sometimes, just remember that you're one of the lucky ones. Having had a 20+ year fulfilling career and now being a SAHM, I think I can proudly say that I, in fact, "am having it all."

Tweeting, the new Tourettes?

2012-01-16T21:39:00.000-06:00

It's the day after the Golden Globe awards and of course everyone and their mother has an opinion on what were the best red carpet dresses. You can hop on over to the Troc Talk blog to read all about my favorite ones and the one that really was "a miss" in my opinion.

I did something yesterday during the Globes that I've never done before...

I live-tweeted!

I know. Not that very interesting or exciting. But for me, it was an experiment in tweeting whatever came up at that moment in time. Tweeting is basically the "modern, PC and non-medical condition" version of Tourettes. Don't you think?

I enjoyed some of the banter. I liked commenting on the winners, losers, the broadcast, the clothing, etc. But I was doing it all from my MacBook Air. With a real keyboard. I really don't understand and comprehend how people tweet from their phones. Way too time consuming. I guess that's why tweets are limited to 140 characters or whatever it is.

Not sure if I'll become a full time twitterer. It definitely seems more of a medium for me than Facebook as I prefer not to do so many status updates in one day. But it sure is #time consuming.

I Like It Medium Rare

2012-01-13T15:20:00.000-06:00

There was a lot of chatter when this article from the New York Times came out the other day. It was Arthur Sulzberger's take on being vegetarian in the midwest.

Many took great offense to it. I read it with a grain of salt. I also felt that Sulzberger was pretty on point regarding the lack of true vegetarian restaurants and options at the dining establishments found in the heartland of America. Did he write a story with the intentions of pushing some buttons? Probably a little. Was it part of the story to go to the top BBQ restaurants to see if there is anything vegetarian? Of course! It makes for a more 'humorous' take on his journey. He's no dumb-dumb. Could he have talked about the falafel that he had at some cute bistro on Country Club Plaza? Sure, but that wasn't the point of the piece.

If I was a vegetarian, I would have been mad. Not because it stereotyped the dearth of the vegetarian options but the reality of it. Perhaps incited by this article, the vegetarians of the midwest can come together and advocate for more vegetarian items by meeting with chefs, the city, whatever it takes to create a movement.

But instead what I have often found living here in the middle of the country that the easier thing to do is complain. Don't dare say anything bad about anything here because life in the midwest is perfect. If you do, the usual knee-jerk reaction I've found is, "Then take your hoity-toity ways and haul it back to the east coast where you better belong!"

Now am I stereotyping?

Yeah, sure on some part. But on another hand, it has been uttered to me both in person as well as through others that any comments that are not favorable of Omaha are not welcome and that I should keep it all to myself. Being from New York is not easy. There are the obvious reasons and then there are the ones that I only encounter because of people's insecurities or lack of knowledge. It's like what someone from Omaha said to me about Omahans, "They mistake good taste for snobbery." That I should be punished somewhat because I haven't lived my whole life in Omaha. That I'm an instant snob because I have knowledge beyond the four corners of this state. Of course I'm a snob! It's difficult not to be when you spend many long hours working in one of the craziest cities in the world, being exposed to the most international and cutting edge cultural notes on a daily basis.

The Omaha World-Herald's new food critic, Sarah Baker Hansen, is a friend of mine. And I know that for years, she has been a vegetarian. And it was she who brought to my attention Mr. Sulzberger's "A Vegetarian's Struggle for Sustenance." Reading through all the comments, including these on her retort piece in the newpaper, I can't help but continue to feel that Omahans don't like it when someone from "the big city" puts down their hometown. But I think some people get it. Like the one commenter who is vegetarian and says that while there are some options and it's getting better, Omaha is nowhere near where it can be for vegetarian diners. That she doesn't consider a cheese plate an option and is sick of portobello mushrooms as being the only ingredient used in many veggie dishes. I don't doubt that Ms. Hansen has had some great vegetarian meals in-state but I do think she is getting carried away by trying to say that Omaha and Nebraska in general care greatly about vegetarianism and that restaurants really do care -- with cheese plates and salads and an occasional veggie sandwich here and there. She did say that perhaps her crankiness was due in part to coming off a 7 day cleanse. I think that as the food critic of this great metro region of about 1 million, that she can use Mr. Sulzberger's article to be a launching point in creating the movement as I mentioned above. Advocate. Please don't complain. It makes us sound like we really think that our McFoster's is the Moosewood of the midwest. (It's not.)

So to really put me over the edge, I found it ironic that with all the controversy revolving around what I think people interpreted as "Omaha and Nebraska aren't being taken seriously as a place that cares about food," that today's dining review in the Omaha World-Herald is on Cheddar's. A chain-restaurant not dissimilar from a Cracker Barrel, Appleby's or Olive Garden. Actually, from the sound of the menu items, it seems like a mish-mash of all three. Hey, look, I have no problem eating at these places but if we want to step up our game both locally and nationally, we cannot have a newspaper that thinks that the front page cover of the Dining section on a Friday should be devoted to a review of a chain restaurant. Fuddrucker's just opened up near me...is that next? I'm sure they have a veggie burger ripe for review.

Yeah, I'm mad. More so I'm irritated and frustrated. Because every time I think we're inching closer to being taken seriously, we get knocked down and pushed backwards. I live here. And I enjoy living in Omaha. It isn't a gourmand's paradise but I get by. We don't have everything that bigger cities do. But instead of complaining and saying that the big boys are bullying us little folks, let's do something about it. Let's show the rest of the nation that we are committed to the food landscape of Omaha and will nurture it and continue its growth. We can't just rely on The Grey Plume and The Boiler Room (both mentioned ad nauseum when Omaha wants to be considered in the big leagues for food). Yeah, they're both great -- but having two places with typical East or West Coast fare isn't enough to convince the bullies that we're serious.

And that photo above? It's the Beef Wellington with foie gras that I made almost two years ago.

Five Great Mommy's Little Helpers

2012-01-10T08:00:00.000-06:00

Annabel in her playtopia

It's a new year. And that means that I turn another year older really, really soon and it also means that my newborn baby isn't such a newborn anymore. Yup, she's turning 1 at the end of the month.

I've had so much fun learning how to be a mom to a baby and discovering things with her along the way. I haven't got a complaint whatsoever. Poopy diapers? Bring it on! Messy hands after eating? So cute! Am I sleep-deprived? Actually, no. I started Annabel on a schedule around 5 weeks of age and it was the best thing I could have ever done for her, for me and for our whole household. By 8 weeks, she was sleeping consistently from 11pm-7am. At 12 weeks, she was down from 7pm-7am minus the occasional stirrings in the middle of the night (mostly due to teething or some sort of nightmare). And now at 11 months? She's a total pro. She loves her crib. She knows when it's time to nap. She knows when it's time for bed. She just loves to cuddle up to her lovey and fall asleep. I sometimes can't believe how nice and easy and pleasant she is. Yeah, I can chalk it up to The Contented Little Baby (to which I do give tons of credit), but I'm also really confident in my abilities of creating a daily safe, happy and fun environment for her. Yes, I'm giving myself a pat on the back! But I do have lots of help.....like:

The sweet little sleep helper

1. Her lovey (white bear blanket) -- Her older sister purchased this for her before she was born and it really came into rotation when Annabel was about two months old. It's a must when we travel but the good thing is that she isn't overly attached. Meaning: she won't have a fit if it's not there. But boy, does it really help her fall asleep. They say that those transition items, like this lovey, are really key for bedtime and they weren't kidding.

Fun, educational and many make noise and move!

2. Fisher-Price Peek-A-Blocks Alphabet Blocks -- When we were in Boston recently, Annabel played with a second cousin's set of blocks and I immediately came home and ordered them as a gift for Christmas. I'm not in any "mommy groups" so I don't hear a lot about the "must-haves" and "age-appropriate" baby toys. I had never heard of these peek-a-blocks and was so happy to have discovered them on that trip. What I soon learned, though, was that these are hard to come by. Along with the Fisher-Price Listen Up Roll-a-Rounds, these fun, hand-held toys are pretty popular.

When someone gets a little grumpy...

3. Cheerios -- What can I say? Annabel literally screams when she sees the Cheerios box or whenever we pour them out onto her tray! We started Annabel on solids after her six month check up. Just basic rice cereal once a day. Then we slowly incorporated pureed fruits and veggies into the mix. Next was some pureed chicken and turkey. Her two bottom teeth started to pop out at 8 months and by the beginning of November, she was getting a handle on her pincer grasp and could pick up Cheerios with her fingers. So it's been two months of joyful noise as she shoves her fist with Cheerios into her tiny mouth.

And this little baby as everyone knows...

4. Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes -- This little book is one that every baby needs in their library! Such a sweet little story with great illustrations of babies around the world. I received this as a gift when I was still pregnant from the owner of Little Scandinavia, a gift shop in Elkhorn. Annabel just wants it read to her over and over again. She turns the pages so excitedly and accurately (ok, sometimes she rushes to the end accidentally). It's now becoming part of our nighttime bed routine and since it's a soft vinyl covered book, it's okay for her to take it into the crib with her too (though personally I just leave it on the bedside table).

Exploring the new Christmas toy

A pit stop on the way to the top

Standing proud

5. The V-Tech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker -- If you have a baby who is about to walk, this is a great item to use for when they're first pulling themselves up. I ordered the V-Tech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker from amazon.com in their frustration free packaging (and boy was it truly frustration free!). Annabel is still not completely steady while moving so I use this walker leaning against a stationary wall. That way she doesn't plank out and fall on her face. In just a short time she has learned to play with the walker in tummy position, to kneeling and to standing. She has a fascination with removing the phone every time. As you can see, the receiver is on the floor in every photo! Beware of the catchy songs -- you'll find yourself singing them all day long. Looks like it's on sale at V-Tech...I'd definitely snag one of these as a gift for your next baby shower. It doesn't take up that much space and is very useful for any sitting-to-standing and standing-walking baby.

As a first time mom, I got a bunch of things that I used a lot (diaper changing table for living room, pack n play, Fisher-Price rock-a-stack and mobile phone toy, Diaper Genie, Carter's clothing, Avent pacifiers, Munchkin plastic spoons, A+D ointment, toy car keys).

Then there were a bunch of things I used for a bit (the boppy, my Brestfriend, the Bumbo).

And then some items that really never found a way into the repertoire (Boudreaux's butt paste, the hooded towels, shoes).

I also passed on investing in a huge swing, a bouncy swing, an exersaucer and anything else that was bulky and seemed like a passing phase.

Would love to know what items are on your must lists as your baby gets older. And what are the next best items for me to purchase as Annabel goes from baby to toddler (sniff, sniff...).

Goodnight, Granddad

2011-12-13T22:03:00.001-06:00

My father-in-law sadly passed away last week. He is terribly missed as I write this post.

We were fortunate to have him in Omaha for the past several months, and Annabel and I enjoyed our weekly Thursday lunch dates with him. Actually, I know he really enjoyed them more than anything else.

Unfortunately Annabel won't remember her lunches with her granddad. It makes me very sad to not have him here to watch her grow up. But I am so thankful for the time we had with him and that he was able to spend some quality time with her and his other beloved grandchildren.

Annabel was a trooper on the trip. She easily fell asleep in a myriad of strange places. So I leave you with a collage of her snoozes.

Sleep in heavenly peace, granddad.

Who knew she could fall asleep "free style" in the arms of Daddy on the plane?

Falling asleep in the car, an hour after her usual nap time

Asleep in the car rental shuttle bus

Sleeping peacefully on the plane ride from BOS-MDW

Good Eatin'

2011-12-06T14:52:00.001-06:00

Lots of people ask me for restaurant recommendations. Whether it's through Trocadero or just local friends inquiring about a place to eat, my list of places to go seems like a regular occurrence.

I hate the word "foodie" but I guess you could say I've eaten at a lot of places, all over the world, and have tried pretty much every cuisine under the sun. I've pored through restaurant reviews in newspapers, magazines and online. I've relied on friends myself to tell me what they like and where their favorite places are to eat.

While I've had my fair share of "high brow meals" as well as "local dives" in many a city, I definitely don't discriminate. Some of my favorite meals have been at trendy or mass places and some of the worst ones have been at those beloved, homey mom-and-pop places that everyone "raves" about. It doesn't matter if you love the owners or adore the ambiance...sometimes the food just doesn't measure up. You hate to admit it but...there it is. The truth.

And then there are the "guilty" favorites. Or the places where you think you shouldn't love to eat...but you do. And then there are those in-between locales.

When I lived in New York, all my accessories editor friends and I would meet up about twice a year to have dinner at Houston's. Oh, boy! This was a favorite. We all loved their famous spinach artichoke dip and their Chinese chicken salads. And their gigantic glasses of wine. Yeah, so it wasn't some cute, cozy place in the West Village, but we all had our fair share of delicious, precious meals at trattorias and bistros throughout the city. We wanted our Houston's! The funny thing is that right before the Marc Jacobs show, there are several tables of fashionistas dining at Houston's as well!

If I had to pick a place in Omaha that delivered consistent, appetizing food every time I ate there, that place would be...drumroll...please...

Firebirds

This chain of 20 restaurants opened in December of 2000 in Charlotte, NC and in 2005 opened in Omaha at Village Pointe. What I love about Firebirds is the wood-fired grill that is used to cook all the meats, fish, poultry and vegetables. They have magnificent steaks, tasty burgers, perfect grilled salmons and some of the best side dishes available. I often order a baked potato as my main course because it's just so good. And their spinach salad is something I always start with no matter what. It's a great dish to split (they also split the portions onto two plates which I really love) and the salad has plenty of garnishes like crispy bacon, hard boiled egg wedges and mushrooms.

The overall decor is cozy and lodge-like. The owner had Colorado in mind when he came up with this restaurant concept and I think it works in our non-mountainous region of America. There's only one Firebirds here in Omaha...and in the heart of the midwest. Most of the Firebirds locations can be found in North Carolina and Virginia (one just opened up near my parents' home).

Yeah, so I have eaten at Benu, Joel Robuchon, Gramercy Tavern, Per Se and the list goes on...I've also eaten at recommended places in Seville, San Francisco, London and Minneapolis. And I can safely say that a meal at Firebirds is about as good a solid of a meal you'd get in any city in the world. When friends from other cities come into town...don't be "afraid" to give Firebirds a shot. Yeah, there are some other places in town that are more "local" and "authentic" but did you forget to mention that they're "overrated" and "not tasty."

source: Firebirds

The Best Brussels Sprouts Recipe Ever. Period.

2011-11-30T12:45:00.001-06:00

Have you ever heard of kids under 10 say that they LOVE Brussels sprouts? Well, in this household, that is what we hear every time we make them.

Of course these are not your ordinary Brussels sprouts. Or should I rephrase, the Brussels sprouts that are usually prepared in kitchens across the world: boiled, soft, mushy, gray and bitter.

I am still in shock that during our Thanksgiving meal, the kids declared the Brussels sprouts their favorite item on the plate and helped themselves to second and third servings! Third servings of Brussels sprouts for elementary aged children?

Okay, yes, bacon is involved. That surely doesn't hurt things. But I have to say, even without the bacon, there is an easy way to make Brussels sprouts appealing to almost anyone.

The key is sautéing, not roasting, on a stove top.

I don't follow an exact recipe each time I make them. I'm more of an "eyeball" type of cooker; I just add in what I think looks like the amount to use. For this batch of Brussels sprouts, I cut up 4 pieces of raw bacon and threw them into a pan. Once the bacon has gotten to a nice crispness, I use a slotted spoon and set the cooked bacon aside on some paper towels.
The stove should be set on medium heat pretty much the whole time.

With the remaining bacon fat in the pan, add the halved Brussels sprouts making sure that there is just "one layer" of sprouts. Do not overcrowd them.

The important step is to allow them to cook in the fat/oil long enough to get a brown char. Using metal tongs, check a few to see if they're getting properly browned.

Once you determine that the majority have cooked long enough, you then individually turn each sprout over so that the other side can now brown. Yes, I use the tongs and pretty much turn every single one over. It may seem tedious but it really makes a difference. If you don't want to do every single one, you can always do enough to visually make a statement. Remember: appetizing food is so much about appearance.

Even with the bacon fat, you might need some extra oil to sauté the sprouts. I used Grapeseed oil but olive oil works fine too. And of course, if you don't want to use bacon fat, just following the recipe with oil is fine. Just remember to add some salt. I don't recommend any added salt to this dish since the bacon already provides it.

Once the second side is cooked sufficiently, I grind some fresh pepper on top of the Brussels sprouts, mix in the bacon, give it a toss and then serve it up! As you can see, some of my sprouts aren't all brown (I wasn't patient enough...) but it all looked and tasted just as good.

Bon appetit!

Buoyed by Belly Laughs

2011-11-26T14:08:00.001-06:00

It's been a tough week. As my previous post mentioned, it has been a time of beginnings, endings and in-betweens. My father-in-law hasn't woken up from his craniotomy that took place early Monday morning and while the doctors have not yet sounded grim, it's hard not to feel somewhat hopeless as each day without any marked improvement passes by.

Someone else I know will be laid to rest on Monday. It was yet another suicide (about the 5th one I've heard about this autumn season, and surprisingly, all females). Another senseless tragedy that could have been prevented. It's truly a shame and now so many are left to grieve a loved one during what's usually supposed to be a happy, holiday season. Rest in peace.

I can't help but burst into tears periodically throughout the day. But the sadness that I feel for so many at this time has been briefly, but oh-so wonderfully, interrupted by this wonderful snippet of laughter. If this doesn't lift your spirits and make you laugh, then I'm sorry...that's all I've got right now.

Beginnings, Endings and In-Betweens

2011-11-21T12:19:00.001-06:00

It's a dreary day in Omaha, Nebraska. And unfortunately not just due to the gray and damp and cold weather we're experiencing today. Though that visual and physical element sets the tone of the day that much more so. The beginning of this Beethoven Symphony's second movement is the perfect audible interpretation of how I am feeling at the moment.

What seemed to start as any ordinary weekend, ended up being one mish mash of mostly bad, some good and all together one filled with lots of emotions. It was on Saturday morning we were delivered some rather unfortunate news that really set the somber tone for the rest of the weekend.

The bright side of things was celebrating a good friend's 40th birthday on Saturday night with lots of old and new faces of people I've met through the 4+ years of living in Omaha. We celebrated "roundtable" style at Marrakech Gourmet, a newish restaurant from Moussa Drissi, who had previously opened a luncheonette near the old Brandeis building on Farnam. His real dream was to have a true sit-down restaurant to serve dinner and now his dream has come true with Marrakech Gourmet. We basically were indulged with a "chef's tasting" sort of menu of delights: hummus, falafel, grilled chicken and stewed lamb dishes all with that distinct and delicious Moroccan spices and flavors. It was a real treat and everyone should go and support this local and new establishment. Great for a table for two but also I highly recommend for any sort of group dinner outing. They literally had most of the tables pushed together to create a giant "roundtable" of sorts (though it was a square shape!).

Earlier that day, baby Annabel and I spent our morning at another "roundtable" -- with members of a charity committee I am working on for a spring event. It was our first time at Le Quartier, the Lincoln-based bakery that now has an outpost in Countryside Village on Pacific and 87th Street. I enjoyed a delicious almond and chocolate croissant but am eyeing all their savory treats as well as great loaves of crusty, French breads on my next trip there.

Afterwards, Annabel and I met up with the rest of my family as it was the Harvard-Yale game being televised at the Fox and Hound Pub on 120th and Dodge. It was Annabel's first time at the H-Y game party and she enjoyed having her own personal name tag and her future class date written on it. Unfortunately, I had her "accidentally" dressed in Yale colors though she was rooting for "the Crimson." Good thing she was! They beat the Elis 45-7. But there was tragedy at The Game as well: one woman was killed and two other women injured when a U-Haul carrying kegs for a tailgating party crashed into the women. I feel terrible for everyone involved; the kid driving the truck was sober and it seems that the U-Haul might have malfunctioned. All these families being affected right before the holidays. A "fun" annual tradition, now tainted by this horrible accident.

Could this weekend before the Thanksgiving holidays be any worse?

It's terrible to hear bad news of course. But it's even more heart wrenching to hear the sound of sobbing from young children when they learn of bad news. Unfortunately, this was something that took place this past weekend when we heard of someone who had passed away that was close to the children. The children were told on Sunday morning and it was very difficult to stay upbeat all day Saturday with the knowledge that some very terrible news was to be delivered the next day.

But it wasn't to be the end of the unfortunate circumstances of the weekend.

On Sunday night, my father-in-law suffered a fall and we are now in a waiting game. This is after a trip to the ER, stitches, a CAT scan, being admitted for observation, a middle-of-the-night brain surgery, multiple "heart stopping" phone calls throughout the wee hours and now him stable but on a breathing tube in the ICU.

Some of you know me, some of you don't. All I can ask of you is to please say a prayer. For all those who are suffering this week and need some extra help. Thank you.

Reading, 'Riting and 'Rithmetic

2011-11-20T20:27:00.001-06:00

I'm in the process of trying to get through three books at the moment. As mentioned in my Troc Talk post, Nigel Rodgers' memoir, Le Freak, is a great page turner about his unstable and crazy childhood and transformation into one of the most prolific 80s music producers. It's such a fun read and I would be finished with it if I didn't have two more books that I've recently downloaded onto my iPad as well as a whole host of other distractions these past couple weeks.

I don't have a lot of free time these days and the moments I have during the day are spent trying to fit in a blog post or two. Trying to write daily is a goal of mine but if baby Annabel is having a bad day, well, then my writing opportunities kinda go out the window. But I really have no excuse not to be able to write something by day's end.

But I can't blame Annabel for all my daytime distractions. Let's just say, it's the holiday season and trying to prepare my shop Trocadero for the upcoming Black Friday promotions as well as the holiday shopping period in general has definitely been stressful and time consuming. Perusing look books and emailing companies, placing orders, trying to make the most of a small budget but lots of great gift ideas. Yes, basically punching numbers on a calculator trying to make it all work.

Yeah, so it looks like I'm living the life of your basic elementary school education. At least I know I'm keeping the pace of one...one chapter of reading, one paragraph of writing and one page of arithmetic daily.

I'm hoping to finish Le Freak, The End of Normal (a book I blogged about), and finally, Damned, the latest novel from the author of Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk. I am intrigued by the story that's set in Hell and is described by the author as "The Breakfast Club set in Hell" and "Shawshank Redemption meets The Lovely Bones meets Judy Blume's Are You There God, It's Me Margaret." Sounds like Heaven to me!

Closet Makeover

2011-11-18T20:43:00.001-06:00

I have been such a procrastinator when it comes to organizing my life's belongings. For the past year and a half I have been putting off some sort of neat and tidy plan for the walk-in closet in our bedroom. Bags and shoes have been living on the floor in canvas bags, out-of-season clothing also has been shoved into spare spaces in the closet while paperwork and miscellaneous crap had made its way onto the shelf that runs the entire length of the closet. It's been a total, non-working disaster and yesterday I decided enough was enough.

Taking on such a challenge takes some time and discipline and I've been short on both. But yesterday I took advantage of Annabel's full 2 hour lunchtime nap and her fairly prompt bedtime of 7pm to plow through the chaos. I'm just sorry I didn't take before pictures!

A few things I would recommend when cleaning out a massive junk space, especially one that includes a lot of small trinkets, paperwork, etc.:

Get a bunch of plastic bins and use those as organizing your items

I took out 7 bins and mentally created labels for each one. Some examples include: "Electronics" had iPods, travel speakers, extra cords. "Pouches and Things" had all the small zipped cases I own plus wallets, card cases, jewelry rolls. "Mementos and Keepsakes" has any greeting cards I wanted to save, old ID cards, photos. "Office Supplies" has business cards, pens and pencils, flash drives, notebooks. "Purse Items" has various cosmetics, makeup accessories, Kleenex packs, hand sanitizers.

Let's just say when you find your seventh pen in a purse, it's good to have a bin you can throw it into and keep going with all the other things you need to get through. Even if it's just a "holding cell" for the moment, at least you know that as you accumulate more things you can always throw them into those bins until you figure out what to do with them (e.g. throw them into the garbage!). As you can see, I am using these bins in the closet, just stacking them one on top of another. Until I find a better solution, at least I know where everything is and it's uncluttered in the closet!

The closet comes with this tall "cube" shelf system that is great for my bags and shoes. I've made the most of the small spaces and organized my collection of evening clutches, shoulder bags, satchels and tote bags on the left side. On the right, I had some clear plastic shoe shelf organizers that fit perfectly into the cubes. I used those to partition my shoes and organize them by summer/sandals, daytime and then finally evening. The shoes I wear most of the time are downstairs in three large bins in the foyer! And then there are yet even more shoes and boots in the basement in bins and tubs that are currently being used for dress up and costumes for plays. Let's just say we've got one very lucky 10 year old girl and her friends who play dress up with heels by Sergio Rossi, Prada, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, Bruno Frisoni, Giuseppe Zanotti and the like!

What does your car say about you?

2011-11-16T15:29:00.001-06:00

Today I went to The Drover for lunch to celebrate a friend's birthday and when we left the restaurant, we noticed this Thunderbird 50th Anniversary Edition. Since I had a slightly grumpy (read: sleepy) Annabel in her car seat on one arm, my handbag on another and my take out box in my hand, it was impossible to snap a photo of the car. But I knew I'd be able to find one on the internet. And lo and behold, not only did I find one but the one above is for sale for $17,995!

I hardly ever pay attention to cars but my friend and I both couldn't help but notice this one. At first we couldn't tell if it was an old car or a new one but then we saw the "50th Anniversary" banner.

Again, I'm really not into cars but I just liked the look of this one. It's so not practical in its "coupe" styling and the little portal windows in the back sure look chic but they're so useless of course.

I think one look at me and this is probably not the car you'd imagine me driving. Or perhaps it is?

This got me thinking about people's cars and what makes them choose them and of course...What does the car say about that person?

When I first moved to Omaha, I leased a Prius, a green one no less. If there is any car that says a lot about a person, it's a Prius. Good or bad, it definitely portrays a certain image of the driver. I'm not sure most people saw me in that car but I was pretty hell bent on getting that car. I had also road tested the Toyota Matrix (I don't think they even make it anymore) and I'm definitely happier with my final choice.

About two weeks before I found out I was pregnant, my lease was up on my Prius and I went back to the dealership and test drove the fairly new Venza. This is a car that I had first seen at the Auto Show back in January of 2010. So here we were mid-June and I was choosing between another Prius and this Venza. What ultimately sold me on the Venza was not only the more spacious size but the added features of the back seat panoramic moon window, the sleek iPod dock, the fact that you sat "up" in the car but did not have to hike "up" to enter or exit it, the roominess of the back seat that did a split fold of 1/3 and 2/3 and the fact that I could now fit my golf clubs horizontally in the trunk! (Little did I know that less than a year later, I wouldn't really need that feature as my trunk now permanently houses my stroller...and no golf clubs!).

I'm not crazy about those new Venza ads...I don't really think the car is about empty nesters. Or maybe it is and perhaps that's what the car says about me? I guess I'm practically in that age group anyway despite my new status as a mom to an infant....and far from being an empty nester.

What car do you drive and what do you think it says about you?

photo source of Thunderbird

What's Old is New Again

2011-11-15T16:38:00.001-06:00

I discovered a new use for my old, old, old Nokia phone: toy for baby Annabel. As you can see, the phone on the left from Fisher Price, as cute as it is, just doesn't compare in the size and similarity of a real cell phone, circa 2003.

Boy, did I love this cell phone from Nokia. It was white (pre-iPhone), it had this large screen that I guess was good for manual texting (I think that's what I used it for!). It had a camera and lots of bells and whistles that mean absolutely nothing now. And it had that great Nokia ring tone that I love and miss so much. I've tried to search online for that ringtone but to no avail!

I'm watching her right now as I write this and she just traded the Fisher Price phone for the white Nokia. The feel and weight of it is so similar to my iPhone that she just naturally gravitates towards it as soon as she spots it on her play mat. There she is doing her best commando crawl and heading towards her favorite new fascination: the air vent in the wall.

Any toys that you find that are best for babies around 9 months of age?

Going All-In

2011-11-13T22:19:00.001-06:00

The other day someone asked me about how I felt about the World Series of Poker broadcasting live coverage of the final three players. And that's when I realized, "Wow, my life is really different."

Just a few years ago I would have responded with gusto and been able to talk poker for hours.

I had no idea what was going on in the world of poker or the WSoP. When that person asked me about the final three players, I had just realized that it was November and it was clearly now the "November Nine."

So many people think I still know a lot about poker. I don't. It's like a whole lifetime ago. Just this past October, I was at my brother's 50th birthday party and there were a bunch of guys that were at his wedding back in 2006. And all they could talk about was the late night poker game that went on post-reception that I was playing in with various guests at the wedding. Guys that were my father's age, guys that were younger than me, guys that were my brother's age. They all were laughing about how the last time they saw me, I was taking their money. I of course barely have any recollection of that game--not due to alcohol but more because it was seriously a lifetime ago.

Poker entered my life at the right time. It really taught me a lot about taking chances, calculated risk, gamesmanship, bluffing, having balls. I know I wouldn't be where I am today if I never took up the game. And for that, I'm forever grateful. So I just might have to dust off my clay chips, dig out my Super/System book and break out my Hermès deck of cards (can we just say that everyone in fashion knew I was a card player and often sent poker themed gifts my way). Who knows, maybe one day I'll even head back to Council Bluffs to the Horseshoe to play in a WSoP satellite event. Do they allow infants into the casino? (I'm kidding.)

God Only Knows This Song Is Nearly Perfect

2011-11-11T22:56:00.001-06:00

A while back I wrote about a friend of mine who had a holiday party where everyone came and brought a typed Top 10 List of their all-time favorite songs. These lists were then taped on the walls and everyone had to try and guess whose list was whose. I love that idea and might have to steal it for an upcoming get together. Not only because I love to know what songs people love but I need some inspiration for incorporating some new music into my iTunes library (even with my 23 GB library!).

So far I have revealed songs #10 thru #6 (in no particular order) and we've finally come to the last five. It's definitely been a U.K. love fest so far with Elton John, Duran Duran, The Cult and the Cocteau Twins representing the first five. And we have had one American (Prince)...well, that is until now...

It's pretty difficult to find fault with The Beach Boys' God Only Knows. The chord structure, the harmonies, the way it switches from major to minor...it's a deeply haunting yet satisfying piece of music. I'm not alone in declaring God Only Knows in my Top 10 favorite songs of all-time; seems as if Paul McCartney also includes it in his faves. I literally get chills every time it comes on and instantly feel a bit melancholy. But in the end the music makes me so happy that I don't end up in a puddle of tears. It's seriously so beautiful.

Anyone want to share their Top 10 songs? It's really hard to do it. I have other songs that narrowly missed the top and I'll have to put them in a separate "honorable mentions" list one day. I already have an iTunes playlist called "the best of the best" and there are 70 songs on it...everything from The Jam to Smokey Robinson and of course The Beach Boys.

Our curly girl Annabel

2011-11-10T22:46:00.001-06:00

That's my smiley girl! She wasn't so smiley about a half an hour before this photo was taken. My little babe was at Children's Hospital getting an ultrasound on her head. It's her second head ultrasound in the past couple months due to her almost off the charts head circumference. Our pediatrician says she looks great and is on target for all her milestones for her age but that as a precaution he recommended the ultrasounds. The first one was done and it came back "borderline" so they asked to repeat it again in two months. So here we were today going back to the radiology department at the Children's Hospital of Omaha.

It's not a great experience, to say the least, to get these ultrasounds. You really need both parents there because one of you has to hold her head steady and the other one has to keep her body still. All the while, the technician is putting tons of goopy gel on her head and then using the hand monitor to take photos of her noggin. It seems to last for an eternity for all of us. And to be truthful, it doesn't just seem that way but is kind of the reality. When your baby is crying, screaming, tears running down her face, turning bright red and just obviously soooooooo sad, every minute feels like five minutes. We had to take a few breaks just to calm her down. Poor baby!

We don't have the results yet and they're definitely very cryptic about giving away any information. They don't even send the radiologist out; instead we're just told by the technician that we will be contacted by our pediatrician.

I think the only positive thing that comes out of the whole ordeal is that after her hair dries from the gel, she has a curly 'do! When she takes baths, her hair is curly when wet. But it dries pretty straight. But the gel seems to keep the curl going. It's so adorable! But no, I'm not going to start using hair gel on her quite yet. But it is tempting!

Annabel seemed to recover fairly quickly from her trauma at the radiologist's office and was all smiles at lunchtime. We stopped by one of our usual Vietnamese places, Kimson Grill. I departed from my normal Pho and had some rice noodles with veggies and chicken. We brought Annabel's lunch tote (from one of our absolute favorite shops in town, Little Scandinavia!) and she scarfed down her turkey with squash and apples and peaches for dessert. Thankfully, the rest of her day wasn't as eventful and she is peacefully in slumber as we speak. My prayer is for baby Annabel and that her oversized head is just because of her big, beautiful brain!

Calling All Compost Cookie Fans!

2011-11-09T21:50:00.000-06:00

After making homemade pancakes this morning for breakfast, I was hankering to do a little baking. Eyeing the small remainder of the Trader Joe's potato chips lying on the shelf, I decided to be ambitious and see if I could make the notorious Momofuku Milk Bar compost cookie. I knew there were a plethora of recipes online so I decided to give one a whirl and see what I could do with what ingredients I had in my cupboards.

I chose this recipe and followed it pretty much to a T. It didn't call for coffee grounds but I knew that those were ingredients I definitely wanted to include. I consulted another recipe and used it as a guide for the amount of coffee grounds (but used 1/2 since the latter was a double recipe of the former). The recipe I used called for one stick of butter and 3/4 cup of "regular" cookie fillings and 3/4 cup of "snack" items. This dough yielded exactly two dozen cookies that did not look like the Momofuku cookie I got almost one year ago; my cookies ended up being more flat, which is fine by me as that is my preference in cookies! What I included in my recipe were the following "compost" items:

1. chocolate chips
2. coffee grounds
3. chocolate covered pretzels
4. rolled oats
5. chocolate Cheerios
6. potato chips
7. graham crackers

I followed the recipe fairly closely (including blending the sugar and butter mixture for a full 10 minutes). But since my refrigerator/freezer is a side-by-side, I am unable to follow the directions and spoon the dough on cookie sheets and refrigerate them (they won't fit!). So instead, I wrapped the dough in plastic wrap and placed it in the refrigerator for about an hour or so. They recommend doing it overnight saying the complaint if you do it any less is that the cookies are flat. But as I mentioned previously, I love flat cookies so I decided an hour was fine.

I used a teaspoon to place the dough on parchment lined cookie sheets and then baked them for around 8 minutes. My oven is kind of wonky so even though I started at 400 degrees, it seemed to fluctuate between 450 and 375 so I had to watch them closely.

First of all, can I mention that I rarely "nibble" on raw cookie dough but I found this stuff irresistible! I think the coffee grounds lends that bitterness and "grainy" texture that I kind of love. Like poppy seed bagels. Hmmmm, maybe poppy seeds are the next ingredient?

For my first time out of the gate, I'm very pleased with how the cookies tasted. There are a few things that I would add/delete and I'm definitely going to do a double batch for the next time so that I can share them with friends.

I was obsessed with making them again that I ran out to the supermarket to pick up some new ingredients for the next batch. I definitely want to use Rice Krispies, possibly Heath Bar or butterscotch chips, regular pretzels (instead of chocolate covered ones), Kettle cooked potato chips (extra crunch), maybe sunflower seeds (?), perhaps almonds or walnuts. What's great about these cookies is that you really can put anything in them. You just want to keep the ratio the same and I think balance the salt with the sweet.

One thing I might alter too is the kosher salt. I love salt in a cookie but I think because of the added saltiness from the potato chips and pretzels, you might want to decrease the salt a tad. I think my recipe called for 1 teaspoon and I might just do 1/2 or 1/4 teaspoon instead.

Sad Endings

2011-11-08T09:41:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I received the unfortunate news that someone I knew passed away. I cannot help thinking about her and the fact that she is no longer living. And most of all, because it was done by her own hand. It is absolutely heartbreaking to think that she thought this was the only solution and she felt betrayed by the life that she was living enough to turn on it and permanently extinguish any future memories for her daughter. Yes, she was a mother and I grieve for her daughter and all the family and friends she left behind.

This follows about a year after another person I know died by suicide. And again, leaving behind a young daughter. I often think about this little girl and hope that she is living as normal a life as she can despite the circumstances.

I'm sad for these two girls whose lives are forever changed in an instant of the deepest, darkest depression of loneliness imaginable. I cannot understand. I would be devastated if I couldn't watch my daughter grow up and am hopeful that I will be alive long enough to see my daughter have children of her own.

I just started reading The End of Normal, the book by Mark Madoff's widow. Here is yet another example of someone who committed suicide and leaving behind children. I am especially pained by the fact that Mark's 2 year old son was sleeping in the next room when he took his own life. What was he thinking? Of course, he wasn't really thinking. Or was he? Is someone thinking rationally when they do something like that? Or are they in such a daze of selfishness, self-hate and sadness that they're completely irrational?It is hard to know or understand what drives someone to this point of no return.

Just like the "It Gets Better" campaigns targeted towards young adults who are faced with the bullying for being "different," I am starting to think that there needs to be more done for those adults who truly need the help to recognize that they're not alone, that there may be dark days ahead but that you've got to think about your own children. They're the ones who really suffer the most. I do feel sad for these moms who felt like this was the only option, but it's the girls that are left behind without their moms that I really feel such grief for and pray that they grow up not thinking that they weren't worth it but instead surrounded by the strength and love of those around them. Rest in peace, AA and JL.

In the Kitchen

2011-11-04T10:49:00.000-05:00

The other day as I was meeting with the Hunter Douglas blinds rep, she asked me if I worked from home. This question posed after I was busily typing away at my laptop while she was looking up prices on her computer. I simply responded, "Yes." I didn't really feel like going into: "Well, I own a shop in the Old Market but since my baby was born I haven't been working there much and I'm basically being a stay-at-home mom but I have two blogs that I write for so that's what I'm doing right now [literally]."

I used to wonder what stay-at-home moms did during the day and now I have a good idea of it. There is some routine involved -- the baby's that is -- and the rest of my day revolves around whether she's up or asleep and when she's pooping, playing or eating. And I try to squeeze in anything in between or during all of it.

What I find on most days is that I try to write and check emails during her morning nap (now). She's unpredictable in the mornings as she might nap for 30 minutes and other times close to an hour and a half (though that's becoming far, far less frequent).

But yesterday I was quite industrious during my 45 minutes of "free time." I had decided to bake some cookies since the ones I happened to make on Sunday really did not satisfy my cookie fix. I attempted to make something with pumpkin (I should have gone with a pumpkin cheesecake bar). What resulted was a too puffy, soft pumpkin, walnut and chocolate chip cookie. I hate soft, fluffy cookies. I am a fan of buttery, flat, large crispy ones with chewy centers. Of course, the secret ingredient being butter...lots of it. As well as recipes that don't call for baking powder. I've decided that baking powder in a cookie recipe is the no-no for me. It turns out that others enjoyed my pumpkin cookies but I just wasn't a fan. I wanted yummy cookies! And with the brand new container of rolled oats I bought, I decided I would make some sort of oatmeal cookie. A damn, chewy, yummy one!

I searched online and looked for recipes that had lots of comments describing them. So I settled on this Food Network recipe for Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies. I was not disappointed. These cookies turned out fantastic! They're just the perfect chewy and crispy combination and I love that there is no baking powder and it's 2 sticks of butter! It also calls for brown sugar which I think is an important ingredient in many cookie recipes (including my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe from Martha Stewart).

(Side note: baby has awakened! Time to type fast!)

I've decided that these oatmeal "craisin" cookies will become part of my new cookie line up. The other week I made a lemon ricotta cheesecake and I wasn't thrilled with that either. And I'm not into baking cupcakes. I've decided that cookies will be my thing. And maybe cookie bars.

I spent the better part of my evening cooking and pureeing baby food. That picture to the left is some of my 2 oz creations. In the past couple weeks I have made homemade turkey, chicken, plums, peas, pears, butternut squash, green beans, bananas and prunes for baby Annabel. I've decided some of it was easy (butternut squash, green beans, prunes) and others just were a huge pain and/or mess. I hate cooking chicken -- it sounds so simple but every time I cook it, I'm never sure if it's totally cooked through. I am so paranoid about undercooking it, especially for a baby, that I end up cooking it further in the microwave.

Thankfully it looks like my pureeing days are coming to an end...for at least some foods. My pediatrician green lighted finger foods for baby Annabel at her 9 month check up on Wednesday. That means I can serve her cooked peas (without pureeing!), bits of cheese (new food!), chopped up chicken (still need to deal with that darn cooking of chicken!) and a whole host of regular foods. It's hard to believe my baby is growing up so fast. And she's such a good baby -- I'm watching her on the monitor playing in her crib all by herself with no peep coming out of her cute mouth. I think she knows her mommy is trying to get some work done.

Fashion For Less: Ann Taylor Shopping Spree

2011-11-01T10:21:00.001-05:00

I usually tend to reserve my posts about fashion for boutique Trocadero's blog called Troc Talk, but I felt like this blog was started primarily to share my stories about everything from "fashion to film to poker and Paris" so I figured this time I'll write about my latest shopping spree...at none other than....wait for it...Ann Taylor (?!?).

Ok, now to be totally honest. When I was back in NYC, I would never step foot into an Ann Taylor or LOFT store. I was THAT MUCH of a snob as most typical New York City fashion editors are! I mean, when you've got Barneys, Bergdorfs, Fifth Avenue and every major designer sample sale at your access, well, there really wasn't any draw to go into any of the more mainstream "mall" stores. I know, what a snob!

But to be fair, the Ann Taylor of 4 years ago does not even compare to what it has become as of late. Their "newish" designer Lisa Axelrod has lifted the "yuppy corporate 80s-type" Ann Taylor designs into something extremely modern, wearable and dare-I-say-it, designer-chic. Most people tend to believe that whatever I'm wearing is something über-designer. But in all reality, the items in my closet that have gotten the most comments in recent years have been a Simply Vera by Vera Wang dress (from Kohl's), a Mossimo skirt (from Target) and a lurex cardigan from Ann Taylor.

I'm not trying to brag, but I know I'm a good editor. It's why I did what I did for years and got paid to tell women in America and heck, all over the world, what to buy, especially when it came to accessories, shoes and bags. I don't love shopping. To be totally honest, I hate it. It's a chore for me to do. But when I realize that I am putting on yet another maternity top and yoga pants and my baby is 9 months old, I know that I need to step it up and go buy some new clothes. But being in Omaha is a whole lot different than being in NYC with access to so many shops and yes, the temptations of high-priced merch.

Back when I was a fashion editor, it was important to "dress the part" so I invested a lot in my wardrobe and didn't flinch when purchasing something really beautifully made that cost monthly rent for a one or two bedroom apartment here in Omaha. But in my new life as a mostly stay-at-home mom, I just want to look presentable when doing errands, going out to lunch with friends, stopping in at the Troc or even just staying at home. But the key was stuff I can launder and not worry if baby Annabel drools all over me or accidentally coughs up sweet potatoes onto my top during lunch.

Since I don't enjoy shopping, I hope for a "one-stop destination" where I can grab a bunch of things and drag them all into the dressing room and then edit as I go. J Crew used to be a place where I used to supplement my designer wardrobe, but I've found that as of late, they've even gone a bit overboard with their pricing as well as their design aesthetic. It's all for New Yorkers.

I love Jenna Lyons but I think she has turned J Crew too much into an "insider" catalogue that features items that we as editors love but don't want everyone wearing as well. It's way too cliché for me. I love the Timex watches and the Sperry boat shoes but I don't need everyone having that same look. And the prices have gone through the roof, in J Crew terms. Has anyone looked at their crewcuts (kids stuff) pricing? We're talking close to $200 for many items. Really? For an eight year old who ends up wearing most of their dinner on their top? And outgrows their clothes within 6 months?

Nope. I decided to take a look at Ann Taylor. I had heard all these great new things happening there, it's enough "off the beaten path" for my world right now and heck, they have 40% off everything signs in the windows on most days that I've walked by the store.

What I discovered on the day I shopped was more than I could have ever imagined. I tried on close to a dozen items and left with almost as many. With most things 50% off the sale price, (yes off the sale price!), it wasn't hard to convince myself that I could afford a few more things. And it wasn't any stretch of the imagination to buy items that I thought were "okay." I got fabulous stuff. Really. I couldn't have designed a better pair of gray pants. These ones pictured are a great lightweight wool with a cute knit waist detail as well as a knit "tuxedo stripe" down the side of the pant. Why the description on their website doesn't make note of it better, I don't know. I love tuxedo pants and the fact that these are gray and for daytime use is just fantastic. Plus, in-store, I purchased them at the 50% off the sale price which made them a whopping total just under $40. Really? On-line, they're still around $72. It pays to shop in-store.

This past summer I purchased (full price, no less) the black dress pictured. It has two types of material (one silky and one knit-like) that is sort of color blocked to accentuate the waist line. It also has fabulous pockets. I lived in this dress and it is a great go-to item when you just want to throw something on but look put together. I love it and the $138 it cost was well worth it. Right now it's on sale but there is only a size 18 left. Sometimes, when you find a good item at full price, you gotta just grab it.

The sequin skirt is another item I purchased on my "spree." I love daytime sequins and I like that it is only in the front, making it far more comfortable (let alone more furniture friendly as well). I would love one in a muted platinum-gold but I will have to wait to discover it another time.

Lastly, I love the blouse featured here. I didn't purchase this item but I really like the detail on the sleeve. It's so hard to find tops in stores that aren't sleeveless. I really like the look of this piece and think that it's a great addition to a wardrobe (but only if it compliments your skin tone). I just might have to search for it on my next visit to AT.

source: sequin skirt
source: black dress
source: gray tuxedo pants
source: beige blouse

House Hunters in Omaha

2011-10-26T23:51:00.005-05:00

When I first moved to Omaha, I was addicted to House Hunters on the HGTV channel. Okay, I was also addicted to Curb Appeal. Both shows were my not-so-secret and not-so-guilty pleasures. Maybe it was because I was a first-time home owner and I related to the whole trepidatious process of finding the right place, making an offer, waiting to hear, going through home inspections, etc. The one thing I didn't have to do was any renovations. Moving from NYC to live in a house by myself, well, I couldn't even fathom any major renovation project. So I bought a house that was move-in ready. What I didn't foresee was all the landscaping costs! I mean, look at that yard (and that's just one side!). This photo was taken by my real estate agent's photographer. I love the colors of the autumn leaves changing while the grass is still green.

I stopped watching House Hunters and the HGTV channel completely. Well, that is until about two months ago. I have suddenly found myself watching HGTV non-stop, all day and all night long. It's on while I'm writing this post. Property Brothers just did two back-to-back episodes and earlier I watched some taped episodes of House Hunters. I am seriously obsessed with looking at homes!

I'm not looking to move or to renovate but I love watching the process of these homes being transformed. Okay, so maybe secretly I want to do some renovation projects but it's really more that I want to incorporate a bunch of good ideas and have it custom built in a dream home one day. The more that I watch these shows, the more I realize that my next home just might have to be a custom-made one. Or perhaps it's renovating an older home into a modern one.

There was a time when I thought I might renovate my old home. Built in 1929, the house had such great bones: beautiful woodwork, floors, crown molding and so much more. In many ways, you wouldn't want to do anything with it. But it had a smallish kitchen, which arguably was part of the charm. I loved the white metal St. Charles cabinetry and the reclaimed marble counters from the old Brandeis department store. There was also a tucked-away Sub-Zero refrigerator and a high end Bosch dishwasher. For a tiny space, they made the best of the room. But realistically it wouldn't be the most practical kitchen for a growing family. So I had "dreams" of adding to the back of the house and pushing through the far wall of the kitchen to create a larger space and then to tack on a guest bedroom with full bathroom. It would have really changed the back of the house (I would have then built on top of the addition on the second floor an additional bedroom and bathroom).

Now that the house has new owners, I wonder if they're planning any renovations. Maybe one day I'll see it on House Hunters, the Omaha edition.

Stroller Wars: B-Agile vs Baby Jogger City Mini

2011-10-23T10:49:00.000-05:00

Today, Annabel is 38 weeks old. She has now spent the same amount of time in the womb as she has outside of it! To commemorate this special occasion, I purchased her another stroller. Okay, not really. I mean, I bought the new stroller but not because of this milestone!!

I have learned in the past week that I'm definitely not alone when it comes to a strange fascination or obsession or search for the perfect stroller. Researching online, I have discovered many women, like myself, who have purchased more than one stroller in their baby's first year of birth. It sounds so extravagant and wasteful that I hate to even admit to it. And I'd be honest to say that if I get pregnant again, there will be yet another stroller in my horizon. But first things first...let's get on with it:

WHY DO I OWN THREE STROLLERS?

When I went to shop for my first baby stroller, my biggest concern was a car seat that was rated the best in safety, had the ease of clicking into a base and then clicking into a stroller, was comfortable to maneuver, had a good storage basket and was aesthetically in some color combo that was appealing. I really liked the Chicco Keyfit 30 Cortina travel system in Midori for that reason. Everything came together, matched and was a good price. I don't even remember being shown how I could buy the Chicco Keyfit 30 car seat but then use a converter car seat adaptor frame to use a different stroller. I remember being told that I could do this for the Uppababy Vista but I wasn't sold on the idea of "mixing and matching" because I didn't trust that the car seat would "click in" properly and look cohesive enough. I liked that the Chicco was all-in-one; no need for a third party converter adaptor. Geesh, that all sounded so complicated to me!

My Chicco has been a wonderful stroller for the past eight months. It has worked wonderfully on all 4 of Annabel's airplane trips (San Francisco, Boston, Washington, D.C. twice) and is seriously super easy to break down and put through security and then gate check it. Pop in the car seat and we're always ready-to-go. The canopy is wonderful and provides almost 100% coverage when used along with the car seat's small hood. Annabel has taken many undisturbed naps in there and I really couldn't have asked for a better stroller for the price.

Because of my C-section, I was unable to lift anything over 10 pounds for months. I wasn't even able to carry Annabel in her car seat (though admittedly I did of course -- I mean, how was I supposed to get around?). But forget about the stroller. So that's when I decided to buy a second stroller. Something more lightweight that could recline and would work for a baby as little as 3 months old. I wanted an alternate stroller to shove into my car that I could better manage while recovering from my surgery. That's when I discovered the Uppababy G-Luxe online. I read as many reviews as I could and finally settled on purchasing it. Sight unseen. But I had seen other Uppababy products and liked their product line.

While I like my Uppababy G-Luxe, it just wasn't the right stroller. I tend to hit the wheels with my feet as I walk (and I don't think I have such a large stride) and it definitely did not become a replacement stroller for my car. It was way too lightweight (it can tip over very easily in my opinion) and I didn't realize how often I still needed to snap in Annabel in her car seat. So my Chicco Cortina stroller remained in my car while the Uppababy G-Luxe stayed at home and became the go-around-the-neighborhood stroller (kind of counterintuitive when you'd think to keep the heavier and bulkier stroller at home and the more lightweight one in the car....but again, it was about being able to use the car seat when out-and-about).

As you can see from the above photo, the Cortina stroller takes up the full space of my trunk. I end up having to put my groceries in the nooks and crannies of the stroller wherever I can find some open space. And forget about when we packed for a road trip! Or a trip to the airport!! I am still wondering how we did it, actually. It wasn't easy. And that's when I realized that I can't have that be my main stroller for the next three years while she's "stroller" age. And the Uppababy G-Luxe just isn't sturdy enough for the longer trips. So it was back to the stroller drawing board.

When I was in San Francisco, D.C. and at airports, I couldn't help but "check out" other people's strollers. I loved some for their aesthetics, others for their practicality. There was one that I just thought, "That is so cool!" when I saw the parent lift a small handle in the seat and the stroller just folded up! Presto Magic!

I set out to find out who made that stroller and found out it was from Baby Jogger and it was the City Mini. I loved all the cool colors, the sportiness of the three wheels, the ingenious one-handed fold up! I definitely thought, this is the one. As in the words of Sandy and Danny, "You're the one that I want."

I headed to my local shop, Kids Stuff Superstore, and went to check out the City Mini in person. I learned the hard way with my Uppababy G-Luxe; YOU HAVE TO TEST-DRIVE YOUR STROLLER IN PERSON! So off I went to see for myself all the coolness of the City Mini and to see how I could incorporate it into my life. And most importantly, will it be more compact for my trunk so that I can use half of it again?

Well, I fell in love with the City Mini. But my sales lady interrupted my love-fest and said, "It's a great stroller but honestly, this new Britax B-Agile is better. They might have 'knocked off' the City Mini but they've improved upon the few things that were problematic with the City Mini."

I really didn't care about what was wrong with the City Mini because I really had my heart set on it. If so many people loved it, why should I bother going with the "knock off." I wanted to go with the original. Plus, they had all the cooler color combos. The Britax only came in "Husker Red" (I live in Nebraska, remember!) and Black.

But when she wheeled them both to me and pointed out the back silver with red brake bar on the City Mini (pictured on the left) and the lack of an obtrusive bar on the Britax, I have to say that was pretty much the thing that sold me on the latter. I learned that I stepped on the wheels of my Uppababy G-Luxe and I really hated that. Plus after researching both reviews online, it seemed that many people complained about kicking that brake bar. The Britax is made so that the bar is curved towards the basket and there is a small foot brake by the right wheel.

Other reviewers spoke of the superior padding for the head and seat area on the Britax (definitely true) as well as better road handling of the "all wheel drive" B-Agile. And the fact that the B-Agile "locks" when shut and has a better safety mechanism for the unfold. All this was noted and in the end, despite all the prettier colors, I couldn't help but make my mind that the Britax B-Agile was the new stroller for me. Plus after checking it out in my trunk, I was really sold. I now have 1/2 of my trunk back! And despite my living in Husker country, I decided on basic black. It definitely matches better with my Chicco Midori (green and gray) car seat (I bought the Britax converter car seat adaptor which allows my car seat to face me in the stroller) and it has a great shiny silver reflective trim. Very chic.

Macaron Madness

2011-10-12T21:03:00.000-05:00

They're gorgeous little creatures. French macarons, not to be confused with the American macaroons, are delightful almond flavored cookies that are slightly chewy, slightly sweet and oh-so-delicious. The ones from Ladurée in Paris come in beautiful pastel boxes that are a gift in themselves!

French macarons are "the next cupcake" in terms of a craze/fad/trend in desserts. In fact, Ladurée just opened their first U.S. shop on Manhattan's Madison Avenue a couple months ago. So if you think you've been out-of-the-loop, you're not really that far behind! Ladurée seems a little late in the game; it looks as if the quest to offer these baby confections has been in the works for a couple years now. I remember when I was living in NYC, Payard offered these mini treats. I found yet another place called macaron cafe that has a nifty website where you can "create your own box of macarons."

Tomorrow is Trocadero's 4th birthday and in honor of the occasion, instead of our usual cupcakes, mini cupcakes and traditional sheet cake we've done in the past, I decided I wanted to serve French macarons. (We are after all named after Paris' Place du Trocadéro!)

I'm relieved I didn't have to bake them myself, though if I had more time and was sure that they would come out okay, I'd definitely try this recipe I found here. It sounds slightly arduous to me but maybe when I find an extra four hours in my day, I'll give it a shot.

Thanks to the internet and google, I found a local baker who's making French macarons in Omaha! Her name is Shari Preister and her company is called CuppyCakes. I think what really caught my eye was her fun, inspiring audition video for the show Cupcake Wars on the Food Network. Going to her website, I also loved that all her cupcake flavors could be done as macarons. I was sold! So I ordered up a few dozen and picked them up today to be served at the Troc's 4th birthday party. They're gorgeous -- almost too pretty to eat (as all French macarons are -- look at the above ones from Ladurée!). But if you're one of the lucky ones, you'll get to witness them first hand at the shop.

photo source

update: The French macarons from CuppyCakes were not only beautiful but very delicious! They also kept well in the refrigerator in a tupperware container for 7 days after I picked them up!! We had strawberry lemonade (pink), lemon coconut (yellow), dulce de leche (tan) and pistachio (green). I highly recommend Shari Preister's CuppyCakes French macarons! And there's a big chance she might be on the Food Network's Cupcake Wars soon.

The Day the Music Died

2011-10-06T10:24:00.003-05:00

When the news broke out yesterday evening that Steve Jobs passed away, it was a surprise in that "Oh, no, the day has finally come" sort of way and not in the "What happened?" sort of way. He had pancreatic cancer. That, we all know, is one of the worst cancers in terms of its survival rate. To think he had survived this long is truly a miracle and we're all benefiting from everything he has contributed to our daily lives for that much longer that he was able to be with us.

While the television programs were paying homage to Steve, I first wondered why there was so much coverage on him....as if he was a celebrity...as if he was an ex-President....as if he was royalty....as if he was....

And then I quickly realized that he wasn't any of those -- in fact, he was that much more. He was an innovator, a creator, a scientist, a master retailer, an engineer, a politician, a rock star, a movie legend, a designer.....the list goes on. He changed the landscape of everything. EVERYTHING. Even if you're not an "Apple" person, I'm sure you've seen a Pixar movie, something Steve Jobs had a hand in. Maybe you don't own an iPhone, but I'm pretty sure you're one of the millions who have downloaded music from iTunes. This is a man who not only inspired and innovated, but someone who also did it in the most aesthetically gorgeous way. I can't help but comment on the visual. Everything he made was glossy and pretty. And he made us covet all things Apple (at least for me).

I'm sad for his family and friends but I'm also sad for him. That he wasn't able to contribute decades more of exciting ideas and products and ways of looking at the world. I love all the Steve Jobs quotes that have been popping up on Facebook. I also love these two tweaked Apple logos. I don't know where they came from but they're definitely yet another visual that sticks. I think Steve would have liked them.

RIP, Steve Jobs. We're all thinking about you. Really, we are.

Pooley's Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-03T13:39:00.003-05:00

It was quite the perfect first October weekend in Omaha! The weather just can't be beat these days. Sunny days in the 70s and evenings are cool 50s. It wasn't a coincidence that we decided to spend most of the days outdoors; on Saturday we spent the afternoon at the zoo and on Sunday it was a trip to the pumpkin patch. Could life be any sweeter?

In years past I've made the annual trip out to Gretna to the famous Vala's Pumpkin Patch. My first year I ate a large turkey leg and went on a hayrack ride. My second year was spent taking photos in the cut-out-head holes, doing the corn maze and watching the kids take pony rides. Last year, I didn't make it to Vala's for some reason so perhaps it's why I felt that this year I could not miss taking in a trip to the pumpkin patch. Well, that and the fact that we now have a little baby who might just enjoy a day "out in the country."

But instead of Vala's, we headed out to Pooley's in Bennington. It was a much smaller scale operation but one I enjoyed more. Probably because it didn't seem like the production that Vala's is. Pooley's was short and sweet; a simple $6 admission with a little corn maze, some good old-fashioned tire swings, a chicken coop, a fun corn blaster cannon (adult supervised of course), little kittens running around, piles of pumpkins, pony rides and a little tricycle track for those 6 and under. There wasn't much to do but it was still fun nonetheless just to walk around and enjoy the sunshine. Little A loved the corn maze (not really -- she didn't have much of an opinion). That's us about midway through the maze. (I'm wearing my Missoni for Target cardigan, she's in her Iowa State Fair Butter Cow 100 year anniversary t-shirt.)

There are plenty of weekends before Halloween (4 more!) so I recommend a trip to the pumpkin patch while the weather is still agreeable.

Kalbi Love

2011-09-20T07:08:00.002-05:00

That's my kalbi marinating about to head into the refrigerator. What is kalbi you ask? It's the "official" beloved dish of my Korean heritage. I have official in quotes because most people would probably say the real official national food is kimchi, the pickled spicy cabbage dish. But I would, hands down, introduce to my non-Korean friends kalbi way before giving them kimchi. I never crave kimchi (it is an acquired taste and many never quite get the taste for it); on the other hand, I crave good kalbi all the time. Seriously, I could eat this BBQ meat once a week. And I think I finally found out that this is possible in the comfort of my own home!

Thanks to the internet, it's easy to google "kalbi" and get a whole host of recipes. Some from the Food Network (sorry, but Flay nor Ray can tell me how to make this authentically), some from food blogs, some from magazine sites. Every time I make it, I always choose a different recipe. Or more honestly, I look at a few recipes and take the ingredients that sound the most familiar to my mom's preparing of the dish combined with what I actually have present in my refrigerator and cupboards.

I was inspired to make this for dinner by my trip to Costco. I had seen boneless short rib meat there before but never purchased it. This time I decided it was time to experiment and attempt to make kalbi again.

I don't know why I think it's a pain to make; it's actually quite the opposite. It doesn't require a lot of chopping or multiple cooking containers and the prep time is a breeze compared to other recipes. It definitely helped that this particular cut of meat (the boneless short ribs) was so lean that I didn't have to trim excess fat. It was seriously the best and easiest type of meat I've ever cooked with before.

The package of meat I got was approximately 3 pounds for $20. I'm pretty familiar with kalbi eating at my house; there may only be two adults, but the two kids under the age of 10 can pack a mean punch with their kalbi eating. I figured we would barely have any leftovers...

The meat was about an inch and a half thick so I decided to cut it lengthwise in half to make it more like 3/4 inch in thickness. The actual pieces of meat were about 12 inches long and two inches wide. Really great big slabs of meat! My first advice is to pound the meat a little to get the thickness to about 1/2 inch. Then I recommend scoring the meat with the blade of a knife in a diamond-like pattern and then cutting the 12 inches into thirds.

The marinade is seriously so easy. Just have to make sure you have a few key ingredients in your cupboards at all times. Here is the list:

Soy sauce -- anywhere from 1/3 cup to 1 cup in various recipes
Scallions -- a staple in Asian cooking, I always have some in my refrigerator. Use about 3 stalks
Sesame paste -- get this at an Asian grocery. The paste is the secret ingredient of my mom's. She doesn't like using sesame oil as most recipes list (she says it makes the kalbi too greasy). Use sesame oil for sure if you can't get to an Asian grocery. A couple tablespoons.
White Sugar -- some say brown sugar or honey; My mom swears by plain white. About 1/2 cup.
Rice Wine Vinegar -- many don't include this; I like the acid in it to break down the meat and for taste. About 1/4 cup
Ginger -- again, some recipes don't include this...I think it's important (and I have the easy tube ginger as opposed to the powder or using fresh). A few teaspoons.
Garlic -- anywhere between 5-8 cloves
Water -- again, some don't include water; I didn't use much and I personally think it's important to dilute the saltiness of the soy and make sure to include it. About 1/2 cup.
Kiwi -- whhaaaaat? This one seems weird in the mix I know. I don't actually use kiwi (never seem to have it around!) but have used another acid, pineapple, instead. Get a short can of chopped pineapple or puree it yourself. Another replacement is Sprite or 7-Up, a can or 8-12 ounces. The important thing here is some sort of sweet acid to break down the meat.
Onion -- I've never used one before in my kalbi. I chopped half of a sweet onion and put it in the marinade; others recommend that you puree the onion and the kiwi or pineapple together to make a soft paste.
Ground Black Pepper -- I like a lot of it. Some recipes also call for red pepper flakes or hot sauce but I don't agree with those!

I know the list may look overwhelming. It looks that way to me! But I swear it's really easy to throw all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Then taste it. Seriously, taste it and tweak. If it seems salty, add some water. If you can't taste the sweetness, add some white sugar. After you've tasted it to your liking, drop in the meat. Stir it around, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in the refrigerator from 1-12 hours (if you can do it overnight, people say to do it. I think a few hours is fine.). Some say to flip the bottom meats with the top meats in the marinade halfway through but again, I think this is not necessary.

Get your outdoor grill really hot! I highly recommend outdoor grilling for sure (if you can). Otherwise use an indoor grill pan if you have to go that way!

You want the meat to get really dark and have a few "burnt" edges...very delicious!

I like to serve kalbi with plain white rice and some crispy cut nori. I've never been a huge "saam" fan -- using the lettuce leaf and the bean paste -- so I'm not going to further explain it here! I prepared a spinach and grated carrot salad with a sesame ginger dressing to even out the meal. Another cool to the palate side dish is finely sliced cucumbers soaked in some rice wine vinegar. It's like a pickle.

There were exactly 3 small pieces of meat left after 4 hungry family members devoured the kalbi. So much for leftovers. Now I know what the proportions are for making kalbi. Three pounds is barely enough for 4 people. At $20, I think it's an affordable but nice meal for 4. It sure is a hell of a lot cheaper than getting it at a restaurant (usually they charge anywhere from $16-$36 for a plate that has about 1/4 of the meat I made).

Happy eating!

A Motley Crew

2011-09-19T09:33:00.002-05:00

So it goes like this...A priest walks into a bar and...

Something about last night's Emmys telecast made me think about how believably politically correct the award show and the winners turned out to be this year. But in a non-judgmental way. In a non-annoyingly PC way. In a totally, this is the real world type of way. I think Steve Levitan, the producer and writer from Modern Family, nailed the sentiment in his acceptance speech:

After winning Best Comedy:

“A gay couple came up to us and said you’re not just making people laugh you’re making them more tolerant. And I thought, they’re right we are showing the world that there’s nothing wrong with a loving committed relationship between an old man and a hot women. Looking around the room tonight I see many of you agree. Thank you all very, very much.”

Sometimes, it gets so darn PC and it was nice to see some humor mixed into it. From the surface, some might have took last night's host and winners as the Emmys being "way too politically correct." But the reality is that no one cares anymore if you're gay, Asian, overweight, physically disabled, etc. And last night, when you get right down to business, was truly a mixed bag full of upsets and surprise winners.

Well, Melissa McCarthy can't say "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride." Especially with the "pageant-style" (was it impromptu?) best actress in a comedy nominees all standing up on stage. With the tiara, flowers and award, it was fitting that the Bridesmaids star won. It's her year! It's her moment. I hate predictability and awarding Tina Fey again and again or lauding great dramatic actresses like Edie Falco or Laura Linney in the comedy TV category is kind of a joke. I'm glad they gave the comedic award to someone who has made a living doing comedy.

Margo Martindale winning for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama. I loved it! I have never watched Justified, but I'm a fan of her from two very small parts: the first being the very "American" tourist in the final short story in Paris, Je T'aime (the 14th arrondissement) and the second as a client in an episode of Hung. She's totally the underdog but someone who is very good and I was really happy to see her win. And personally, I think she had a very tough field: Christina Hendricks, Kelly Macdonald, Emmy-darling Christine Baranski, etc.

Peter Dinklage for Game of Thrones! I don't know if a dwarf has ever won an Emmy, but it was yet another surprise win in a category of acting giants (no pun intended). I love Mad Men, so my vote was for the man who plays Roger Sterling (the great John Slattery). But we have award show faves like Alan Cumming, ex-movie stars like Josh Charles, and the odds don't look as great for Peter Dinklage.

Even with Jane Lynch at the helm, the show didn't take on too much of a PC tone. I could have done without all references to being gay -- do we really have to spell it out? Who cares. I can't wait when we live in a world where we don't have to point out our differences to make a point. I have plenty of gay friends who don't wear a badge or carry a rainbow flag around with them because they think that's the first thing you need to know about them. Let's hope that the trend of recognizing those that have earned their place get the recognition they deserve and stop rewarding those who are just smoke and mirrors.

source: quote

Fashion Victim

2011-09-13T22:40:00.003-05:00

I couldn't help it. At 9am, after putting my baby girl down for a nap (and her Daddy being at home), I sheepishly drove off to Target to check out the Missoni capsule collection.

As soon as I walked into my local Target, there was a display of accessories: a wide brimmed hat, scarves, long mittens, a poncho, a shoulder tote and the list goes on. Every single item was available -- no empty hooks, no wasteland of nothing. I quickly took note of what was there and moved onto the next outpost with a Missoni sign. Chemises (aka nightgowns), bra-lettes, boy shorts, velour hoodies and drawstring pants. The latter two made me think about Chrissy Snow meets Juicy Couture. Not exactly a look I'm trying to convey. I moved on...

A display of shoes is what came next. Rain boots, a pump, some ballet flats. One style of ballerina was out of my size so I decided to go with the brighter-hued one. After all I figured if I don't wear them, I know enough size 7 girls who would gladly take them off my feet.

Then my cart approached the main course: the women's collection. I was not blown away. I saw some frumpy cardigans and some colors that didn't do anything for me. I finally settled on a longish brown/yellow/gray open cardigan. Totally me. Totally comfy. Totally jolie-laid. It was a must. Two sizes hopped into my cart (yes, I was going to try them on in a fitting room). I grabbed a skirt, a dress, a couple other items.

I headed to the girls' department. Oh, wow! But oh, no. Again, somewhat underwhelming. One dress was cut so boxy that I couldn't imagine a certain 10 year old ever wearing it. There were some cute brown knit leggings with a chevron ankle design. I grabbed a size XL for myself. My eye caught a cute knit skirt with a baby blue base so I added that to my cart. Something that my little fashionista will love.

And then I hit the mother load: BABY MISSONI FOR TARGET! I had no idea. I think (I know) that this was my favorite. The union jack suit was worth it all. The baby leggings and knit dress! I died and went to cuteness heaven. The shimmery, lurex-y knit woven in the striped union jack suit kills me. I can't wait to dress baby A in it for winter. I'm gonna use it as an outer layer like a jacket. Oh, cuteness!

On my way to the checkout, I grabbed four plastic tumblers and two mugs (the last ones of those styles). I was pretty happy with my purchases...until I got home, that is...

Then I read about the bike. WAAAHHHHHAAAT? And I saw the outdoor furniture. And then I remembered towels! Damn it! I forgot to check out all these other things...and apparently my union jack suit is already on ebay selling for $80!

So off I went back to Target (this time after putting baby A down for her afternoon nap!). I had exactly one hour to scour and score.

No bike, no outdoor furniture, no towels! But I grabbed some stationery items, milk crates, a candle....and another union jack suit! Hey, I figured if I don't sell it on ebay, I'll give it as a gift to the next appropriately-timed baby girl birth! I mean, who wouldn't want that as a baby shower gift?!

photo source

10 Years Later

2011-09-11T13:02:00.003-05:00

I arrived by taxi to 1271 Avenue of the Americas to find hundreds of people standing outside. I, myself, had tears rolling down my face as only minutes before I had listened to a woman on the radio reporting that the South Tower was coming down. As I looked down Fifth Avenue from the backseat of a yellow taxi cab, I could see the billowing smoke cloud rising up from the ground and turn the perfect September blue sky a horrific and awful charcoal gray.

Just the night before I had stared at the Twin Towers from the Piers on the West Side Highway at the rollicking after-party for the Marc Jacobs show. It was, after all, Monday night, when MJ customarily held his twice a year fashion show. There were many of us there enjoying the free champagne, the thumping music, the glorious outdoor party. It must have rained the previous days as I remember the ground being damp and my Louis Vuitton flats sinking into it, leaving caked-on mud stains that I would have to wipe away when I got home (much) later that evening.

It's hard not to forget the details. Every single one.

And it's so difficult to erase the images: the sorrow, the panic, the tears, the hopelessness.

I cry every year, as most people do, when the names of those who have died are read out loud by those family members who have lost a loved one. It's especially poignant and heart wrenching to see the children. Those who don't get to have their mother or their father celebrate another birthday with them. Those who don't have their parent now to cheer them on in baseball games or dance recitals. They're ten years older and ten years wiser. They can comprehend more what they lost ten years ago today. I can't help but get choked up now just writing this.

I'm one of the supreme lucky ones. I didn't know anyone first-hand that had perished that day. I didn't lose a brother and a fiancé like someone I know. I didn't lose a husband that morning like another woman I knew. The only person I knew that worked in the WTC had miraculously decided to spend the night out on Long Island and drive back to the city on Tuesday morning to go to work. Many of his fellow employees and friends at AIG were not as fortunate.

Everyone has their story of where they were that day. It's part of a group therapeutic moment allowing us to grieve in public and know that we all understand to a certain degree of what we're feeling. I'm praying for all the lost lives, for those who died scared, not knowing what was happening and most of all conscious of the fact that they would not see their loved ones ever again. For all those moms and dads out there who never got to see their children grow up. I pray for those victims as much as I do for those they left behind.

All American Fun

2011-06-23T09:57:00.003-05:00

What's not to love about baseball? Well, I certainly am an enormous fan of it. The sport signals the start of spring, which is a really good thing especially when you live in Nebraska. It also symbolizes good old, clean, all-American fun. Baseball games also deliver other all-American favorites like lemonade, hot dogs, peanuts and cotton candy. I know it's very stereotyped and cliché, but I can't help it. I love celebrating "Americana."

The College World Series is under way at the new TD Ameritrade Park. I love that the CWS is held annually in Omaha, Nebraska. I never knew that fact until a month before I moved here. I was already attracted to Omaha for its pure Americana image in my mind of cornfields and lemonade stands and it was fitting to find out that America's favorite past time was celebrated in full force every June. "The road to Omaha," as it is referred to by the world of baseball, is an amazing two week period of college athletes giving it their all. I don't get to attend each year but I was lucky enough to go to Monday's game (or maybe not so lucky since the tornado sirens went off during the 6th inning!!!). CWS+tornado sirens=yup, that's pretty much an all-American experience.

If you have the chance to go to the CWS, I highly recommend it. The stadium is beautiful, the energy can't be beat, the baseball fun to watch. While Omaha might not be on everyone's radar as a travel destination, I think a road trip or airplane fare to the CWS is worth it for anyone with children. Especially if you have a son that plays Little League.

Speaking of people unlikely traveling to Omaha, we've got friends and family coming from Panama, Boston, London, DC, Chicago, Tokyo, San Francisco and possibly St. Petersburg (Russia, not Florida!) to attend our all-American 4th of July wedding. And in typical fashion, we'll have lots of Americana touches to celebrate our special day and welcome our friends and family to our fine, heartland of America city. Yay, Omaha.

my photo taken at the CWS game: Vanderbilt vs Florida

What Baby Wants, Baby Gets...

2011-06-21T22:19:00.006-05:00

My baby is now 20 weeks old and as people have told me, "Enjoy every second because it flies by." They weren't kidding. I cannot believe how big little A has become. She becomes more and more animated with each passing day and I get a little teary-eyed just watching her grow up before my very eyes.

Last week I purchased "the Bumbo" online from amazon. I order pretty much everything on amazon. With my "Amazon Prime membership" (you basically pay all your shipping fees at once with a $79 flat fee), it's free shipping on everything I order, it comes in 2 days, there's no sales tax and it arrives on my doorstep.

My friend and former Troc employee, PJ, is expecting her own baby in a few weeks. For her baby shower, I put together some of my favorite items that I found were handy as a new mommy. It reminded me about my old post called "New Mommy's Top Five" and how I promised a TOP TEN LIST FOR MOMMIES. Now that my baby is about 5 months old, I'm offering my top 10 list of things/services I could not have lived without these first few months:

1. Pack N Play -- Mine is from Graco in the Little Hoot pattern. It is brown and light blue and blends well in any neutral living room space. I LOVE this thing. Some people think PNPs are for travel only; ours is a permanent fixture in the family room and is a base station for the baby. The changing table is so handy and its size and shape was very cozy creating a pseudo-bassinet alternative for our tiny newborn in the first month or so. The upper layer "bassinet" is a safe place to put baby while you are in the same room but cannot be holding him/her. In the early weeks, my baby took naps in there. At 2-3 months, my baby loved to stare and be mesmerized by the mobile. And now at 5 months, she still loves to hang out and stare up at her mobile but while playing with her toys.

2. Amazon Mom -- I know I mentioned the Prime membership, but there's also the Amazon Mom membership. We are talking huge savings on diapers and other baby-related items. The Amazon Mom program is linked to "Subscribe and Save" and that gives you even more savings. If you don't have a Prime membership, you qualify for it (and the free 2 day shipping) for your first three months of Amazon Mom membership. And then for every $25 you spend on baby stuff, you get another free month of Prime membership, up to 1 year. I can't explain all the benefits...you just have to go check it out and sign up. Diapers that normally cost about $.24 each were about $.13 when I became an Amazon Mom.

3. The Contented Little Baby Book -- Hands down, the best decision I ever made was following the guidelines in this book for putting baby on a schedule. At first I thought it was somewhat cruel...forcing a baby to stay awake when they're falling asleep in the morning, waking them up when they seem to be sleeping soundly. But sticking to the schedule allowed both my baby to be extremely well-rested and well-fed...and frankly, did the same for me! I don't know many people who have babies who sleep from 7pm-7am without any night waking but my baby girl has been doing 10pm-7am since about 8 weeks and 7pm-7am since about 14 weeks. Yeah, I highly recommend this book.

4. Nail Clippers and Files -- No one really talks about how frightening it is to clip your baby's nails. Or the fact that they grow every day and become weapons on themselves! It's inevitable that you will clip the skin on your baby's finger or thumb and cause some bleeding...it happens to the best of us. And it will make you sad and perhaps even cry a little (especially when they're crying and tearing up). AAAHHHHGGGG!!!! But it gets better. I have clippers and nail files on my nightstand, the baby's room, downstairs in the family room, my purse. The Safety First clippers are great and not expensive so I say buy a few and keep them in different rooms. You never know when a sharp nail is ready to be clipped and it's easier to have them handy than to disturb baby and go searching for them.

5. Halo Fleece Sleepsack and Swaddler -- I'm using the fleece sleepsack as much now, if not more, than I did when it was winter time. With our air-conditioned home, I find that the rooms are fairly cool and she tends to get cold easily. I love the zip-down design, the velcro swaddler that keeps her extra cozy and toasty (I leave her arms out -- always have). I often do a layering sleeptime look for baby A: a short or long sleeved onesie, a long sleeve footed zipper one-piece and then the Halo Fleece Sleepsack. When it's a warmer night (or seriously when it's winter time and the heat is ON), I skip the fleece and instead use a sleeveless cotton sleepsack.

6. Carters White Scalloped Edge Knit Socks -- Everyone has their opinion on socks for babies. Some swear by one brand, others swear by another. I love these simple white socks from Carters because they're not too thick, they work for all four seasons, they stay on and most importantly they don't leave an elastic mark! I don't know how many socks I had that left a mark; I could have sworn my baby's circulation was being cut off accidentally! These socks are for girls only because of the sweet scalloping but hopefully there is an equivalent for boys.

7. Fisher Price Calming Vibrations Chair -- I've got two. One is a simple vibrating chair that I leave upstairs in my bedroom and the other is the Space Saver Swing & Seat that has a swing that I use near the kitchen. Both are unbelievably useful. I don't know how or why people buy those huge monstrosities! Swings shouldn't take over one's living space. These chairs calm my baby whenever she gets squirmy or irritable. Or when she is really upset and needs a little vibration to help...well...push things along. And the one upstairs is great as a place to put my baby while I'm showering. I just place her right outside the shower door and she and I "talk" through the foggy clear door. I don't own either of the ones linked as my styles don't seem to be offered anymore but those are basically the same sort of items I own.

8. Cotton Bibs -- You really can't have enough. Especially when they're baby A's age (20 weeks). So much drooling, fingers in mouth, there's just a lot of baby saliva around. I have velcro closure ones that seem to do the trick. Though when she was much younger, the velcro sometimes would wake her up (back when she would be falling asleep while eating). I recommend you get the bigger style that almost acts like a smock. I love these bibs from the artist Scott Blake: you can even get a customized one with your baby's name!

9. The Puj Tub -- The best tub for newborn babies hands down! Great design, fits snugly in most sinks and folds flat for easy stow-away. I read about the Puj tub and registered for it but did not know how truly awesome it would be. I highly recommend this for all new babies!

10. Lansinoh Condition Cloths and A+D Ointment -- These are my one-two punch for preventing any diaper rash on baby A. I use regular wipes by Huggies (the green-tea scented ones) for wiping away the bigger messes and then use the thinner, more stretchy fabric Lansinoh wipes for more delicate areas. Finally, I use a bit of A+D ointment on her tush to combat any slight redness or irritation she may have. I swear the A+D is the cure-all for everything. I use it on her occasional rough patches of skin as well.

ed note (added 6/22/11): I can't believe I forgot these amazing items. They're essential if you plan on nursing:

* Mother's Milk tea & Kelp pills -- seriously worked in helping with lactation issues. BUY BOTH if you plan on breastfeeding!

* Lansinoh milk storage bags -- they're far superior than the Medela ones. I recommend pumping into a bottle then pouring into the bags and freezing them. Then just do a quick hot rinse of the bottle with bottle brush and soap and air dry.

Bridal Beauty

2011-06-19T13:58:00.003-05:00

I might have moved to Nebraska almost 4 years ago but I have to admit I still own beauty products that arrived with me. It's a terrible thing to admit; I must have brand new bottles of eye make up remover, kohl liners, lipsticks and fancy schmancy sun screens and potions. Well, I exaggerate...a little. I had all these items up until about 3 months ago when I literally threw away garbage bags full of expired and "gently used" (read: tested but never used) cosmetic products when I sold my house. Yes, we're talking Annick Goutal lotions, Chanel lipsticks, Chantecaille eyeshadows, Bobbi Brown bronzers, MAC body paints (yes, body paint).

Not only in my past, PAST, P-A-S-T life was I a beauty editor (back in 1997), working for a magazine you are offered endless opportunities to buy cosmetic products for a $1 each during the twice annual (or more) beauty sales where the proceeds went to charity. These were products that were perhaps used for a beauty still life shoot (brand new) or for news stories when a fellow staffer would schmear the item on a hand or a tiny squeeze of product was tested. And to be totally honest, the items at the beauty sale were more often than not perfectly unused, luxury toiletries! It was hard to resist.

Add the countless number of goody bags that included makeup, well, let's just say I accumulated quite a pile of products.

There's something to be said about starting fresh. And by being able to "choose" your own makeup colors. And get over the fact of spending money on it. I think the biggest hurdle for me was to finally fork over cash for eyeshadows, lipsticks, foundations and the like. It only took 4 years...

I decided to get my makeup done at the counter of a department store and did not care what brand it was. I just wanted the first person whose make up I liked and who was available that minute (being with a 4 month old baby, you don't have to luxury of waiting an hour for a better time to come up!). Turns out it was Chanel; I got a foundation, eyeshadow compact of 4 colors and 2 lipsticks. I didn't care what the cost was and the best part? I personally handpicked and tested each item knowing it was a perfect match. Ahhhh, the small things! I love being a "regular" mall shopper again.

When you snooze, you lose?

2011-06-09T10:03:00.004-05:00

It's getting tougher to stick to a schedule these days. While my baby is on the clock, I'm scrambling to find the time to take quick naps, run quick errands, eat quick meals and quickly check things off my to-do list. This is not a quick and easy task, to say the least...

But I am quick to say that even though I really need our twice a month housekeeper to sweep the carpet and do some cleaning, I'm kind of glad she called in sick. It's a rainy, dreary day and I didn't want to drag baby around outside while the house is being scrubbed down and cleansing fumes flood the house. Instead, baby A is sleeping soundly in her crib, I'm still in my Vera Wang tunic and I'm squeezing in a blog post between work emails, paying bills, looking up hotels for my honeymoon, arranging playdates, buying a pair of Warby Parker prescription frames, setting up a follow up appointment with a neurologist who is trying to figure out why I'm losing feeling in my big toe, calligraphing place cards and writing thank you notes. All of which is to get done in the span of 15 minutes. While I just wrote all that, I now have to get baby A up from her nap, entertain her, shower and get ready to feed her.

I'm fortunate to have some help this summer by way of Sitter C. She comes to my house 2-3 times a week to help me while I can go out of the house and run errands. When I'm out at the supermarket or the post office, I must say it's much easier doing the simple tasks without the added package of a baby in a car seat. As baby A is weighing in at about 13 pounds without the seat...well, it can get cumbersome.

Today is a solo day. I was looking forward to a walk. But looks like Mother Nature had something else in mind. Me? I think I'll take advantage too. Since I missed my morning nap....perhaps a lunch time one is in order.

From Saigon to Seoul

2011-05-28T17:14:00.005-05:00

There are only two days left that the Warby Parker Eyewear showroom is going to be at Trocadero so I told my fiancé that we should head down to the Old Market today to try on frames and get our pupillary distance measured so that we could order our own pairs. But before we headed to the Troc, I suggested we try out the new Saigon Surface restaurant that opened a week ago right next door to the 801 Chophouse in the Paxton Condo Building on 14th between Harney and Farnam.

I had heard great things already about this newest restaurant offering in the downtown area and I was super excited to test it out. Already a fan of their "West O" sister restaurant, Saigon, on Center Street, I was hoping that this new, modern Vietnamese restaurant catering to a hipper, "more downtown" crowd was also going to have good food. Well, let's just say we weren't disappointed. In fact, everything about Saigon Surface far exceeded our expectations. Even the bathroom! (Hey, I love my little "hole-in-the-wall" Asian restaurants but I can't say I LOVE the bathrooms inside for customers and employees. Dirty bathrooms are a big turn off and certainly most especially in restaurants. Need I say more?)

We shared three items on the menu: two appetizers and one sandwich. The eggrolls (fried) were perfectly crispy and well seasoned. They weren't the traditional cha gio spring rolls with the lettuce wraps and cilantro but instead more meaty, longer and larger in size. And they were delicious. I could have eaten all three of them but sadly only got to have one and a half.

Second item to arrive was the very traditional Vietnamese green papaya salad but with the addition of grilled shrimp. Wow. The shrimp had a good amount of char, salt and seasoning while the papaya salad was clean, the way it should be. Fresh, lots of crunch, great amounts of cilantro.

Our last item was a BBQ pork banh mi, the traditional Vietnamese sub sandwich. It was pretty huge so a great item to share with someone if you split an appetizer. I've actually never had a real Vietnamese banh mi before; I always end up ordering Pho because it's what I always crave. But now that I've had this banh mi, I might start mixing it up a little more. It reminded me of Korean kalbi meat, the perfect grilled short rib dish that is my favorite Korean food item.

Speaking of Korean kalbi, I recently have become obsessed with Maru Sushi & Korean Grill, formerly known as Han Kuk Kwan. Talk about a transformation of space and food! I have been there three times in less than three weeks. I love what they have done to the decor -- it's really visually beautiful with high ceilings, great floor to ceiling drapery in the front windows and a gorgeous oversized cherry blossom painting that anchors the far wall. The sushi bar is clean and modern and the restaurant just is open and airy with great vents (good for Korean food!).

I'm obsessed with their dolsot bibimpop, the kind that comes in the stoneware pot. The rice gets charred and crunchy the longer you let it sit. The sunny side egg is perfectly cooked so when you puncture it with your chopstick, the yolk runs into the rice and vegetables and bulgogi meat. If you're not familiar with Korean food, I definitely recommend everyone try it. And Maru really is the perfect place to go in Omaha to have the best Korean restaurant food I've had here since moving to the Big O. If you're a Korean-food newbie, I would recommend starting with Kalbi, if you eat meat. If you're vegetarian, I recommend the dolsot bibimpop but without the bulgogi meat. Koreans also love their soups and many of them are seafood based with tofu (though the broths may be chicken-based).

photo source: banh mi

Sticking to a Schedule

2011-05-23T09:31:00.000-05:00

It's 9:33am and I have about a half an hour before my computer turns into a pumpkin.

Putting your baby on a schedule and then sticking to it is something all new parents should learn asap. While planning out Annabel's day, I've also had to put myself on a routine as well. One that includes time to write, to take a shower, to do the household tasks of the day, to make phone calls, tend to work and personal emails, etc. And for right now, that means squeezing in some coverage of The French Open as well!

Already 7 minutes have past and now I feel the pressure of a deadline. Of course it's not the end of the world if Annabel sleeps longer than her usual nap; some people are so rigid that they have their baby sleep exactly 45 minutes or whatever the case may be. I find that my baby likes to sleep. She enjoys a longer nap in the morning and still needs the late afternoon snooze, preferably in her crib (poor thing, I thought she'd fall asleep in her stroller during yesterday's nap time but instead she was whimpering the whole time).

Between 9-10am every morning I try to write either for this blog (PFO) or my shop's blog called Troc Talk (TT). Sometimes I'll start a blog on PFO and realize that maybe it's more TT. And vice versa. Or sometimes I think it fits both blogs. For instance, last night I wrote this piece on fascinators, weddings and celeb influences. As I was getting ready to go to bed, I kept thinking that it really is more about fashion which is more TT than PFO. So this morning, I published it on Troc Talk.

I've got about 6 minutes left to finish this post, write a couple emails, get dressed and prepare Annabel for our morning walk. It's part of our routine. Too bad the trees are no longer in bloom like when we went for a morning walk a few weeks ago...

Hot Pockets

2011-05-22T14:20:00.000-05:00

Between having a baby, planning a wedding and of course managing both a household with two kids, a dog and a husband-to-be as well as a business (the Troc, of course!), well, my time to surf the net and read fashion magazines has become pretty non-existent. It wasn't until the day before when I was searching for something to wear on my head for my wedding day that I stumbled across the just launched capsule collection by Derek Lam for eBay.

I love Derek Lam. I think his clothes are smart, timeless, super chic and just well-tailored. For Christmas one year, he gave us editors these amazing thick black cashmere jacket-cardigans. A shawl collar, no closure, hits at the right place at your hip and has pockets! I love pockets on anything and everything. Even my pajamas have pockets (two of them: one for the baby monitor and one for my cell phone). It's made by Simply Vera by Vera Wang (a brand I have mentioned numerous times before on this blog) available at Kohl's. It really is a must for new mommies. Plus, I think it's seriously chic enough to wear as a swimsuit coverup for the summer. I bought this tunic in an XS, S, M and L. Yes, you might find that excessive but if you're a new nursing mom, you know that you don't want your favorite and easy top to be in the laundry pile until the weekend. So for all you new mommies out there who are nursing, GO BUY THIS TOP! And even if you're not nursing, I recommend buying this ASAP! This is a great tunic for summer -- for sleeping, lounging and as I said before, as a swimsuit cover up.

But going back to Derek Lam, I had no idea about the new capsule collection and wondered how long it had been out. With my good fortune I saw that it just launched a couple weeks ago. I'm thinking about the short version of this dress seen on Rachel Bilson. What do you think? At $225, it's not exactly cheap. And I've heard mixed reviews on the quality...

But there is that huge selling point for me...it has pockets!

photo source tunic: Kohl's

photo source Rachel Bilson: Daily Mail UK

photo source Derek Lam dress: eBay

A Durannie 'Til Death

2011-05-20T17:08:00.006-05:00

It's no secret that I love Duran Duran. Always have, always will. When they got back together in 2003, I was lucky enough to get tickets to some special VIP concerts, including this one at Webster Hall, aka the original Ritz Club. It was an amazing set list with all the greatest hits. Somehow I was able to snag one of the set list shirts that Simon was wearing on stage. If you can read the label, it was made by Juicy Couture, of course! (John Taylor is married to Gela Nash-Taylor who is one of the co-founders of the brand.) I traveled to Chicago on business and got to see them at the House of Blues. Again, a truly memorable night of classic D2 songs that never get old in my book.

They're touring again and I hope that they make a stop in Omaha. I'll have to make an exception that night and get a babysitter for my baby. I hope that they start including The Chauffeur in their current set list. But they can never go wrong with ending the night with what happens to be in my Top Ten List of Favorite Songs of All Time. Looks like they ended with Girls on Film in 2003.

If only they could do the night version...my absolute favorite version of Girls on Film. In fact, so much, that it is my main ringtone on my iPhone. And who can ever forget this video, banned by MTV back in the 80s, for its nudity and adult content. A total D2 classic.

The Postman Always Rings...Once (a day)

2011-05-19T19:29:00.003-05:00

I love getting mail. Wait, let me start again. I love getting personal mail, magazines, packages and some catalogues. And I'm pretty excited to receive mail these days because I'm enjoying getting the reply cards to my upcoming nuptials. I love seeing all the small envelopes with the bright orange Lunar New Year (of the Rabbit) stamps I painstakingly applied to every corner.

Sometimes my mailman comes before 10am and sometimes he delivers the mail after 12 noon. It's like the adult-version of waiting for the ice cream man to circle your block. I've become somewhat obsessed.

Once he arrives, I like to quickly go through the mail and see how many reply cards have come through. Then I set them aside and go through the "bad mail," e.g. bills, more bills and then some more bills, oh and then the crap mailers that are addressed to the previous owners of the house...three times over!

Yes, I save all the reply card envelopes until the end of the whole mail process. Like it's a big treat! I use a chic silver with magnifying glass mail opener that I bought at Barneys (hey, when I was a fashion editor, I spent my money on fanciful items!) and slice open each envelope and sometimes even wait until my fiancé gets home to see who's comin' and who's not. Lately, I haven't had enough patience (and let's face it, he doesn't really care about the whole process of opening up the envelope!).

I've decided that I don't like not knowing if the mail is here or not so I've figured out my foolproof and mutually-gratifying way of knowing when the mail has arrived.

Today I had to post a card so I walked out to my mailbox and placed the red lever up. It's so damn old-fashioned with the lever on mailboxes being in the upright position to indicate that mail is going out.

Later on I saw that the lever was down and I was delighted to know that both my card was on its way and that new mail had now arrived! It's such a wondrous sight to see that lever down.

(Let it be known that in my old house I had a mail shoot that went straight into my house so I didn't get to have this satisfaction. And in NYC, well, I had a tiny metal box in the lobby!)

A lightbulb went off. The pleasure I receive from receiving personal mail knowing others feel the same way, the thrill of seeing that lever placed in the down position to indicate new mail has arrived, my obsession with personalized stationery (of which I own piles upon piles) and greeting cards, my obligation as a new mom to send photos of baby A to grandparents and the like!

I will write at least one letter or card to someone every day! Who wouldn't want a personalized note coming through the post amidst all the dreary bills, J. Jill catalogues and muffler-deal postcards? Not only will I make someone's day, I'll get to use my stationery and last but not least, I'll know when the mail has arrived!

Amazing how the small stuff really seems to make an impact on my life these days.

photo source: USPS

Omaha's Best Bites Under $10

2011-05-17T09:00:00.004-05:00

Last week I set out to blog every day for a week but it was foiled when blogger suspiciously "went down" and no one was able to get on it. Then today I started to write this post and my screen froze three times before eventually Safari decided to just "quit." But here I am trying to squeeze in a post during my daughter's morning nap.

Since 7:28am I have fed a baby, consumed a bowl of chocolate Cheerios, watched a YouTube video, assembled and hand calligraphied-addressed eight more wedding invitations, got two kids off to school and put down a baby for a nap. I'm getting myself onto a schedule -- it's the only way I have figured out how to get all the things I need to get done. So on the schedule from 9am-10am: blogging. Or writing of some kind.

A few weeks ago a friend of mine told me that he and a local chef were talking about how they would love to throw my name into the ring to be the new restaurant critic of the Omaha World-Herald. At first I thought I wasn't really qualified to write about food since I had no formal training, but then I stopped myself in my tracks and realized that I was saying the opposite of something I always tell my interns at the Troc. You don't have to be a bona fide expert in a particular field to be a good critic. It's also important to have as much varied knowledge to be able to write about certain things. Such as the importance of knowing about art and film when it comes to fashion. If you didn't know the style of Jackson Pollock, you wouldn't be able to reference the "splattered canvas" look of a particular garment you might be describing if you were a fashion critic or writer. This is especially true when it comes to movies as they are often referenced from fashion shoots to the run-of-shows (programs) at designers' fashion shows (always the case at Michael Kors).

I decided it's not the best time to apply for a part-time job but it did make me think about what restaurants I would want to review if I did happen to take the position. I often find myself telling people about a restaurant to go to that they've never even heard of (and they have lived in Omaha for many years longer). This isn't going to be a review as much as a short list of my top 5 places for a delicious quick meal:

1. El Basha-I just went here for the first time about 6 weeks ago. Truly some of the yummiest falafel I've ever eaten. I love the mezze platter where you can sample all "the greatest hits" of Mediterranean food.

2. Vietnamese Asian Restaurant-It's not a secret to my friends that I love Pho. I seriously can eat that bowl of soup every day. Perfect hangover food, great for when you're feeling a little under-the-weather. I like mine with rare beef (#13) and I always get the cha gio (crispy spring rolls) appetizer where you wrap it with lettuce and some cilantro or Chinese basil. And don't forget the Sriracha!

3. Gold Mountain-I can eat dim sum every day and lucky for me, Gold Mountain serves it seven days a week. Steamed BBQ pork buns, shrimp dumplings, Lotus leaf-wrapped sticky rice, BBQ pork, pan-fried turnip cake. And last but not least, (not dim sum) PEKING DUCK. It's not difficult to love this home-style Chinese restaurant. Plus, they also serve a pretty delicious Pho too.

4. Wing Stop-I grew up in Buffalo so I can't help but love me some wings. Nothing can compare to the originals in the original city but I have found a decent substitute in Wing Stop. And don't get me started on their fries! They're seriously dusted with sugar. They're like G-rated crack for adults and kids.

5. Stella's-It's worth the trip to Bellevue. I couldn't write this list without a good burger joint and this one beats them all. Great burgers, awesome onion rings and french fries. All served on a napkin. My runner up is definitely Five Guys.

Ok, it's 10:11am now. I'm already off schedule. Time to get baby up from her nap.

photo taken by me at Stella's

Hey, I know that song...

2011-05-11T09:09:00.002-05:00

One of the great perks of living in Nebraska is that I now have a car. After 15 years in NYC and 4 in Boston while in college, I didn't own a vehicle and truly hardly ever drove except for the random car rentals to go to weddings or weekend getaways.

This past summer I got a new lease on a car and it came with a free 3 month trial of XM/Sirius radio. I didn't think I'd want it because I was so used to making CDs of songs that I was into at that moment and playing it for the twenty minutes a day I was in my car. I really wasn't in my car all that often so would I really need it at all?

When my free trial subscription was about to end, I really wanted to continue it but felt like it was an indulgence. I had plenty of music to listen to, I'm really not in the car for all that long and I'm not driving long distances where I would run into radio silence. I looked at the various subscriptions and pricing. My fiancé laughed at me when I said, "Well I only listen to one station. Do they have a below basic plan?"

Well, let's just say I haven't listened to a CD or my iPod in quite a long time. All I do is listen to XM/Sirius radio. Correction: all I listen to is XM 44 or now XM 33 a.k.a. "First Wave." I get to hear all my favorites from bands like The Cure, The Smiths, Duran Duran and great singles from The English Beat, XTC, Heaven 17 and the like. I'm transported to 1987 and the days when I thought I was so cool for listening to the local college radio station that played all these alternative bands. Back when I was listening to Siouxsie and wearing all black. You know, that Goth moment that I think every teen goes through for even a brief minute. (Mine lasted for a year or two.)

The beauty of XM/Sirius radio is that it also displays the song so I don't have to use Shazam (one of my favorite apps on my iPhone when I first got it), which is a song identifier gadget that you can hold up to any song playing on the radio, at a restaurant, on a commercial.

One of the songs that is often played is this one from Bananarama and Fun Boy Three. It's called "It Ain't What You Do" which is a cover of a Fats Waller standard from Ain't Misbehavin'. I don't remember the song from the 80s but I do remember another little song from the 90s that got some airplay with a similar sound...anyone able to guess it? Think weddings circa mid-1990s.

Happy 100th Day, Miss Nebraska!

2011-05-10T23:34:00.003-05:00

Today is Annabel's 100th day birthday. Something that most Americans don't pay much heed to, but it's an old Korean tradition to celebrate the 100th day of a newborn baby so I've been prepared for months for this very day. Long time ago when infant mortality rates weren't so hot, babies were celebrated for making it to their 100th day. I think it was also to commemorate a baby's "1st birthday" (since the baby is in the womb for 9 months and the 100th day would be approximately 3 months making it a total of 12 months = 1 year).

Koreans are big on celebrating milestone birthdays as referenced here. The bigger celebration that celebrates the baby is the 'tol.' That's when the baby wears a colorful, traditional outfit with a funny looking hat. Lots of intricate food is placed on a long table and the baby sits behind it all looking rather regal. And then there is the fun "game" of "What will I be when I grow up?" when various objects are placed in front of the baby and whichever one he/she grabs first is supposedly what he/she will do with his/her life. There are all sorts of variations and more traditional items that also can be interpreted as what kind of traits he/she will have as a grown up.

The tols that I have been to have included stethoscopes, abacuses, money (usually $100 bills) and a book among other things. They're there to represent the main "dream" employment for Koreans; you know, doctors, lawyers, investment bankers, etc. There really isn't an item for court stenographer, office administrator or hostess at a five star restaurant. But perhaps moving forward, Koreans will become more creative with their ideal career choices and display a plethora of various objets. Perhaps I'll put a Christian Louboutin red-soled heel on the table for "fashion stylist/director." But I guess I have another 8+ months to figure it out.

photo taken at 11 weeks

Bellissima!

2011-05-09T09:56:00.004-05:00

Back in October, I went to check out Cantina Laredo in Midtown Crossing. Being five months pregnant, I skipped the margaritas and instead asked for a bottle of Pellegrino. (Aside: Can I tell you how difficult it is to get Pellegrino in this town? It's crazy that you can't even get seltzer from the soda machines either!)

When the server came back to the table, she brought me not only a large Pellegrino bottle but one that was a limited edition Missoni labeled one. Missoni?!

I can't lie. I love the Missoni brand. I don't have the pleasure of owning a lot of Missoni, only a few pieces here and there. Too bad one is a bikini that used to fit my 115 pound frame.

So imagine my delight when I heard that Missoni will be the Fall 2011 designer collaboration at Target. Not like I need another excuse to drop $100+ whenever I step foot in the store. Between kids' clothes, baby gear, toiletries and basic home goods, I just can't seem to get out of there for less than three digits. Ok, I'm exaggerating. But not by a lot.

While I've vowed not to keep wearing clothing from Target, I'll be hard pressed not to want to pick up a few items from the Missoni line. Not that I need anything else home-related, I'm really excited to see what non-apparel things they'll have. I bet they'll be super cute. Très chic. Painfully affordable. I almost took that Pellegrino bottle home to use as a vase. With a 400+ collection in the works for Target, I think I'm in trouble...

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T23:02:00.002-05:00

As I'm sitting down to write this Mother's Day post, I have exactly 50 minutes left before it's midnight and technically no longer Mother's Day...

But I can't blame my little one from taking up my time this evening. That's because she has been sleeping since 7pm. And she'll sleep all the way through to 7am.

What? How can that be? She's only 14 weeks old!

The reason, or should I say, the brilliance behind my non-sleepless nights? My not-so-secret weapon: The Contented Little Baby Book.

I'm so incredibly grateful to my fiance who suggested I try this book he had successfully used to train his now 9 and 7 year old children.

Our baby was just about 5 weeks old when we started the routines outlined in the book. At first it seemed rather difficult and sometimes ludicrous. What? Wake up a sleeping baby? Are you kidding me?

What I soon discovered, though, was that by having set sleeping times and eating times, it created a pattern and schedule that my baby just automatically adjusted to and in turn, was rested, relaxed and...well....contented. Actually not just content but downright happy! She's been so well-behaved, so calm, so smiley, so easy.

In her first month from the hospital, I fed her on demand. I let her sleep whenever, eat whenever she wanted and basically was at her beck and call. I didn't mind; it was my pleasure to please her and do whatever seemed necessary. I enjoyed sometimes sleeping with her from 5:30am-9:30am when I was up for the third time in the middle of the night. I used white noise machines to calm her and make her feel like she was still in the womb. We let her sleep in her pack n play for hours at a time. And lastly, I didn't balk when she would nurse and fall asleep while feeding within minutes.

But all this was fine for the first month. After all, she was a newborn and I just thought that's how they are and I was happy to meet her needs no matter how sleep deprived I was. But the book made me realize that we needed to teach her good habits so that in the long run, she would be better fed and therefore sleep for longer stretches during the night and generally be more alert during the day.

Within a couple of weeks, she was starting to get the schedule. It was hard for the first week or so to keep her awake during feedings but it increasingly got better as time went on. From about the sixth week, she was sleeping from 11pm until around 7am with one middle of the night feed. And from her tenth week until 3 days ago, she was sleeping through the night from 11pm-7am.

As the book had outlined, around the 4th month, it was time to see how quickly the 10pm feeding could take. If she ate and went back to sleep within a half hour, it might be time to drop the feed.

The first night we decided to experiment by dropping the 10pm feed, I was sure that I would be awoken at 3am. She had a full feed at 6:15pm, going to sleep around 7pm and stayed asleep through to 7am. I was flabbergast! And then she did it again the next night. And again. And now here we are on the 4th night and I'm keeping my fingers crossed. At 14 weeks old today, it would be quite the perfect ending to a perfect Mother's Day!

So for all you sleepless moms out there, take a page out of my book and think about using the teachings of The Contented Little Baby. Only you can know whether it's for you.

Happy Mother's Day!

The Perfect Dress

2011-05-07T10:16:00.006-05:00

I was recently interviewed for a piece in The Reader that was to focus on my style influences at both my store Trocadero and at my home. It wasn't a surprise, of course, that the article touched upon my background working at In Style as well as the curious story of my obsession with Omaha. It also broke the public news about my new role as a mother and soon-to-be wife and stepmom.

Considering my past life as a fashion editor for a nationwide publication and my years of covering bridal shows, the runways of Paris and everything in between, you'd think I would be hell bent on having some fabulous designer bridal gown. But the funny thing is that it's probably #15 on my list of priorities and what I want to spend money on. In fact, I actually already purchased my wedding dress. Off the rack. On Sale. At Von Maur. For under $150.

To me, this day of celebration is not about the dress. It's not even about me (as many bridezillas believe their wedding day is all about). This moment is an opportunity to share my new life to those who were part of my old life, you know, the friends from high school, the college buds, the NYC fashion folk, the Vegas poker pals.

I am, however, without some typical girlie leanings. I'm super excited about my flower girl dresses -- they're the ultimate in All- American-ness and my vision of that is what makes me giddy with joy. I can't help it; I'm still a trained stylist with an extremely visual idea of what I want the wedding to look like. And in all my scenescapes going through my head, I'm never in the starring role. It's the table decorations, the guests mingling, the little girls running around in their matching dresses, the backdrop of the (hopefully) blue sky and dotted clouds with green grass all around.

I didn't set out to buy my wedding dress that one day at Von Maur. In reality, I bought it thinking it would be an option or back up. But now as my mind views scenes from the wedding, I occasionally picture myself in that dress and I like how it looks in my vision for that day. I'm never in a long dress. Not in this setting. Not on this day.

So there it is. I've found my perfect wedding dress without knowing it. And what's the trend for wedding dresses these days (besides Kate Middleton's covered arms and lace)? Well, according to my friend Lisa Marsh, it's all about the short dress. I couldn't have said it any better.

*A note about the photo: my parents on their wedding day 50 years ago. My mother, ever the trend-setter, wanted to get married in a "western-style" dress. She rented it (she was in South Korea) so unfortunately I don't have access to it. I love that it had sleeves; I especially loved that it apparently had fresh flowers on the bottom border sash of the dress.

New Mommy's Top Five

2011-05-06T08:41:00.007-05:00

When I was pregnant, I used the universal What To Expect When You're Expecting e-book on my iPad. But more so, I was "addicted" to their app for iPhone which was a wonderful forum where you could communicate with other expecting moms. Once you entered your estimated due date, they assigned you your "home" board which was the month that you were to deliver. I hardly ever used that board to peruse Q&As as I found the moms there were hard to relate to, mostly due to their age and the sort of questions and problems they were experiencing. I didn't care about whether I was having a girl or a boy, didn't need help with picking out a name, didn't have "baby daddy" drama or jealous girlfriend issues. I found my oasis in the 35+ mom board where "not as extremely hormonal women" tended to flock and share their concerns and advice. There, I found sage recommendations about everything and anything. It was also full of first time 35+ moms and quite a few 40+ first time moms like myself. We all wished each other luck and prayers for our genetic tests, glucose measurements, ultrasounds. And the app really was a lifesaver when I often woke up in the middle of the night and could not fall back asleep. I'd whip out my phone and scroll the forum for something to read, advice on a topic that I might have also had questions about or I'd start a new thread.

It wasn't until I gave birth that I actually started to use my "home" board. All of a sudden, my questions really were about "What's going on at the one week mark, how often is your baby feeding and how much, is anyone having issues with breastfeeding?" The threads on this board were finally useful to me as a new mom and I relied, once again, on these women, especially in the wee hours of the morning!

One of my contributions was giving a top 5 list of the best items as a brand new mommy. Now, 3 months later, I've transitioned from that top 5 to a new Top Ten List For A New Mom:

Top 5 for a Brand New Mom (newborn-2 months)

1. Huggies Newborn diapers -- They were the only ones with a noticeable umbilical cord cut out that allowed that plastic clamp on the stump of the cord to remain exposed.

2. My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow -- Forget about the Boppy! It just doesn't have any form to it to really support you for nursing. The Brest Friend pillow really was the best friend I could have as a new mommy feeding her baby! The back support was incredible and I was able to use it sitting on my bed or in a chair.

3. Summer Infant Best View Video Monitor -- I was such a naysayer on video monitors before I gave birth. I thought they were for neurotic mommies who were control freaks and worrywarts. Boy, was I wrong! It's actually the opposite. It allows you to not have to go upstairs to check on baby every time you hear a cry or noise. It will save your sanity! The higher price point is definitely worth it. I got this one but I don't think the color video is necessary. I do like that the base station does not need to be drilled into the wall and it sits securely and evenly on the edge of my daughter's crib. People will complain about "the security" of it because apparently the wireless frequency might be picked up by another house nearby with a monitor, but honestly unless you're getting into the crib and exposing yourself, no one is going to see you naked or anything else in the room!

4. Aden+Anais muslin swaddling blankets -- Everyone comments on how wonderful they are but you don't really know it until you literally have your newborn in your arms back at home and you're attempting to do a swaddle. These are oversized, breathable cotton and lightweight. Dress the baby warmly in layers but then swaddle them in the aden+anais blanket. It's not so much for warmth but to keep the baby all bundled so that they can sleep securely. And if for some reason the swaddle comes loose, it's lightweight enough that the baby can kick it away, breathe through it if it accidentally comes into contact with their mouth, etc. You are not supposed to use any blankets in the crib for a newborn whatsoever as they're usually too heavy and dangerous for little babies. I fell in love with these swaddling blankets that I just started to order them for my shop Trocadero. Order them from us for your next friend's baby shower!

5. Cloud B Sleep Sheep -- Noise machine is key! In the early stages, a newborn loves the sounds he or she heard in the womb. It's following some of the "Happiest Baby on the Block" teachings of Dr. Karp in terms of ssshhhh sounds and such. It was funny when I was vacuuming one day and my daughter was in her pack n play and I noticed she fell asleep and slept through all the noise! They love that constant whirring. I bought all sorts of white noise apps on my iPhone (hairdryers and fans) and left them on for 4 hours during the night for her to sleep. But that was before I had my ace in the hole way of getting my baby to not wake up in the middle of the night...

So that's my first top 5 for moms of newborn babies. Next time I'll reveal my TOP TEN and why I haven't had to get up in the middle of the night for close to 2 months!

Born in America

2011-03-19T06:18:00.003-05:00

We're back! And with a new look!! And with a baby!!!

Please welcome my little owl head. My very convenient excuse for not blogging for um, five months...

If there was anything worth waiting for in my 41 years of life, it was my little miracle baby...all 6 pounds and 3 ounces at birth.

Some may say it was strange that I had a wish a long time ago to one day have a baby that was born with Omaha, Nebraska as its birth place. It was, after all, the quintessential "American" city in my opinion. My opinion back in 1976, you know, the Bicentennial of our country.

It may be 34 years later, but I still regard Omaha as a true representation of Americana and I feel really happy, blessed and lucky that I got my dream come true.

Blue Bell Knoll BLOWS MY MIND

2010-10-15T11:00:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since I've added my latest TOP TEN song. The first three (in no particular order) have been The Cult's "She Sells Sanctuary," Elton John's "Curtains," and Prince's "Erotic City."

Today's entry is the Cocteau Twins' "Blue Bell Knoll." Certainly the whole album would be one of my top ten CDs to bring with me to a deserted island. I never tire of listening to the whole CD and especially the first track...the title song. With its hypnotizing beginning instrumental, I immediately get chills and goosebumps on my skin! Every time!! Total mindblowing music in my opinion. But that's just me.

I first heard of the Cocteau Twins when I was a sophomore in college. Ex-boyfriends can be good for something, right? I definitely have him to thank for introducing me to both the band and this album. Yeah, sure, it does make me automatically think about him but thankfully we're still friends after all these years so it's not like I have daggers coming out of my ears after listening to this!

Anyone care to share some of their TOP TEN ALL TIME FAVE SONGS? I'm always looking for new tunes to buy on iTunes for both my personal consumption and for the Troc!

Thinking Before Acting and Speaking

2010-10-05T18:01:00.004-05:00

I've had a lot on my mind as of late. And a lot of it is enveloped in a cloud of sadness. It doesn't help that I have been a bundle of tears for a few days. And now, it's with yet another layer.

It's with great sadness that I found out that my fellow Old Market fashionista and shopkeeper friend Jessica "Bellwether" Latham took her own life this past weekend. She leaves behind her very loved and very familiar "side-kick" partner-in-crime, four year old daughter Avery. They both were fixtures in the Old Market; from seeing little Avery in her three wheeler on the sidewalk in front of Trocadero to her chalk scribbling on the sidewalk at the corner of 12th and Howard where Bellwether first opened, to seeing Jessica with friends at La Buvette at an outdoor table, laughing and drinking a carafe of wine.

I arrived in Omaha on July 17th, 2007 and the next day I found myself at Blue Line on Underwood to have an iced chai tea with soy and to take advantage of the free wifi. While I was setting up my "temporary" office with my laptop and newly purchased beverage, I couldn't help but notice the cute little baby crawling towards me to say hello. I had been battling my own baby pangs and just kept talking to the little one who kept coming back towards me despite her mother's best efforts to keep her from "disturbing or distracting" me. Of course, I wasn't bothered whatsoever. I repeatedly told her, "Oh, I'm fine. She's adorable. She can come hang with me!" I remember saying, "Oh, she's just welcoming me to Omaha on my second day!" The mother said to me, "Where did you move from?" And I replied, "New York City." To which she said, "Oh, I moved from Brooklyn." She introduced herself. "I'm Jessica and this is Avery." We chit chatted for a little more and then she and Avery went back to their table. About twenty minutes later, as they were leaving, Jessica handed me a scrap piece of paper that said "Avery and Jessica" with a telephone number. "Hey, in case you need anything or have any questions."

I waved goodbye to my first "friends" in Omaha and was just so warmed and taken by their kindness. I thought to myself, "This would never happen in NY. What a nice warm welcome to my new town."

I wish that all my encounters since could be as positive as this one. Unfortunately, I've sadly discovered that they're not. And often times it seems like people like to blindly attack and purposefully make others feel bad. I'm not quite sure what I've done to the above commenter on my blog, but it seems as if she derives pleasure in putting me down for making a change in my life, to have chosen to make Omaha my home where I've tried to create a positive environment both aesthetically and professionally for those young adults who dream about one day living in NYC and doing what I used to do.

It seems like there is so much hateful words and actions going around to make people truly question whether or not they want to live. Some of the last posts on Jessica's Facebook page expressed that sentiment; there were clearly some mean-spirited words exchanged and she seemed a tad despondent but somewhat hopeful. Unfortunately for us and for little Avery, the hope was not enough.

In the aftermath of both Jessica's death and as of late, the attention of the teen suicides brought on by peers taunting, humiliating and bullying, I really do hope that others can learn to be more tolerant and accepting or even to just ignore and be silent. Yes, everyone has a right to free speech. But if it's at the cost of just getting your jollies to be hurtful rather than debate an issue, I think we can all agree that less is more. Think before you speak and act. You never know what people are going through on the inside, what demons they may be living with or what really is going on in their private life.

God bless you, Jessica. May you be at peace. I'm sorry that you had to feel that this was the only choice left, and please know that everyone will be keeping their hearts and arms wide open for little Avery.

Want a Leg of Lamb With That Piece of Bourdain?

2010-09-12T14:13:00.004-05:00

Last night, Anthony Bourdain, acclaimed chef, author, traveler and host of television's No Reservations on The Travel Channel, spoke at the Holland Center, here in Omaha. I've been a mini fan of his more from a gastronomic view as I used to frequent Les Halles, his restaurant in both Manhattan and D.C. I loved his simple steak au poivre with frites! It was a well-seasoned but well-priced piece of hangar steak and the fries were perfectly cooked and served with a delicious peppercorn sauce. I think it might have been the place where I might have first discovered "steak au poivre" in the states and to this day it remains one of my favorite ways to eat a big juicy piece of meat! (And now I really love the whiskey filet over at the Drover.)

One of my favorite things about Bourdain is this photo that my friend Melanie Dunea took of him for her book My Last Supper. It was published in November 2007 and I stocked the portrait/cookbook at Trocadero for the past two years. Might be time again to restock...just for this photo alone.

source: Anthony Bourdain photo

When you care to send the very best...

2010-08-19T16:53:00.003-05:00

Can I just say that I absolutely LOVE getting flowers. They're just nature's own beautiful creations in shades of exquisite colors -- you'd think they were mixed in a palette. And the amazing scents of fresh flowers is enough to make you heady with love and emotion.

For years my mom painted a tainted idea of sending flowers as a gift to someone (mainly herself for special occasions). She told us kids that it was the "cop out" gift, unlike the Hallmark card and "sending the very best," it was deemed the "last minute" or "too lazy to really think about sending something special." She also thought it was a "waste of money" since the flowers die anyway and then you're left with no gift at all!

Perhaps she was given one too many carnations (unfortunately, my birth month flower!) and not enough peonies in her lifetime. That's what happens when you use those nationwide services that don't carry the good stuff. No, I don't want baby's breath!

I started my love affair with flowers when I lived in NYC and was fortunate to receive bouquets from various PR companies, fashion houses and the like for thank yous, congrats, birthdays or just part of a promotion. Belle Fleur, Miho, Takashimaya were some of the regulars and then there was Zeze, the florist behind the bouquet pictured above. My friend and well-known shoe designer, Brian Atwood, was also a huge fan of Zeze's creations. It's hard not to be wowed by the arrangements and the photos on the gallery don't really do the flowers any justice.

But still to this day, I don't dare send my mom flowers. Because, let's face it, I don't want to spend upwards of $100+ for something that she just might complain about.

Today I received a bouquet of flowers from my partner. No, not because he did something wrong...but because we're celebrating (cue: corny awwwwwssssss) our 11 month anniversary. And because it's now become a bit of an inside joke. For a while he thought my beliefs on flowers were that of my mother's -- and I've been quick to correct him! But it seemed like he still believed that I really didn't appreciate flowers and I thought they were a waste or lazy gift. Again, I quickly corrected him!

I absolutely love my flowers. Thank you very much.

Did this make YOUR top ten?

2010-08-17T10:34:00.002-05:00

I'm a product of the 80s so it's not a surprise that the bulk of my TOP TEN all time favorites are from that era. Sure, I love me some Supertramp and Doobie Brothers and yes, my first 45 was "Love Is Like Oxygen" by Sweet. Maybe I find it somewhat disturbing that a song with the lyrics:

Love is like oxygen. You get too much you get too high. Not enough and you're gonna die. Love makes you high

was the anthem of one 8 year old girl, but lo and behold, it was. Perhaps a foreshadowing of my search for Mr. Right for many years to come?

While I absolutely loved this song and played it non-stop on my older brother's record player, it did not manage to stand the test of time and make it to my TOP TEN all time favorites.

Actually the only 70s song to make it into the TOP TEN was Elton John's "Curtains."

Today's reveal of one of my all time listening pleasures goes to yet another British Invasion. It's The Cult's "She Sells Sanctuary" and I can say with absolute conviction that this song might be in my TOP THREE ALL TIME FAVORITES. It is, after all, the #2 most played song on my iTunes library ("Curtains" being #1). I could listen to this song all day long.

The world turns around....and the world drags me down...

I guess I became more jaded as I grew up...

photo source: Sweet

photo source: The Cult

Starve Curse Hate

2010-08-12T17:24:00.004-05:00

This weekend, Eat Pray Love opens up at theaters nationwide and I will be one of a few women who will not be standing in line with eager anticipation to see "America's sweetheart," Julia Roberts, predictably use her saccharin smile and irritating guffaw to portray one of the most self-indulgent and equally smug, saccharin and disingenuous authors, Elizabeth Gilbert.

Now, should I tell you how I really feel?

There are all sorts of wrong when it comes to both the movie and the book upon which it is based. All I can say is that Elizabeth Gilbert was damn lucky with her book jacket designer. It wasn't what sold me on the book though I remember being drawn to it at many an airport Hudson's newsstand. It was recommended reading as I was about to embark on my own memoir. All I can say is that I could barely get past the first couple pages without wanting to seriously throw hot coals at the author. But just like some awful-tasting liquid medication, I soldiered on. Thank God for the food in Italy (the book is separated into Italy (Eat), India (Pray) and Indonesia (Love)) as I could hardly stomach the rest of the chapter. I think I skimmed India because I just about gave up mid-way after her deeply overindulgence in "self-discovery" there. I sped through Indonesia like a sprinter to the finish line so I could finally be rid of this painful and gaping cold sore that lingered on my flesh.

I also am a terribly UN-FAN of Julia Roberts. She not only plays the same character, but she too is so overexaggerated, self-indulgent and overrated. Plus, I've heard first-hand from a very reliable source that she was the single-worst celebrity that they've every worked with on a fashion shoot...a total bitch, rude and condescending. And this is from literally one of the nicest people in fashion.

I loved the review on avclub about the movie version and the lines, "Julia Roberts' emphatic performance as Gilbert is just one more element that feels overplayed," and in reference to the director and screenwriter Ryan Murphy: "by showing Gibert's partners as real, confused wounded people instead of abstract obstacles, he makes her look selfish and shallow..." Of course what I think is that it would be damn near impossible to not make Gilbert look selfish and shallow since her memoir only highlighted it like a big flashing neon sign.

One of the commentors on avclub summed it up perfectly:

EAT SHIT, DIE

Douching and Driving

2010-08-11T16:52:00.002-05:00

One of my all time favorite words is douche bag or just plain douche for short. There aren't many words in the English language that so appropriately describes a person who has performed some outrageously asshole-like action. Though it seems that urbandictionary does not interchange the words as I do; they seem to believe that a douche is a douche bag-lite. Me? I use them as if they're one and the same.

I often scream out the word in disgust when someone makes a really bad driving decision in proximity to me. You know, the ones who pass you on the right at 30 miles above the speed limit and then weave in front of you and head right into the far left lane without a turn signal. They're also the ones who will take a right exit from the middle lane without using their turn signal. Where the eff are the cops when you need them?

Then there are the ones who are so clueless and just hover in the next lane in your blind spot as to make it impossible to switch lanes. Or drivers that are clearly not paying attention to the road and are more involved in their phone call on their circa 1999 Motorola clam phone. But at the next stop light I usually jot down their license plate and write douche next to it along with their car make and model. I've never posted them anywhere but just discovered this site (among others) that allow frustrated drivers to post rants as well as license plate numbers. If only the police were able to use these testimonials to take away driving privileges.

I wish the Nebraska Legislative Bill 945 about texting and portable devices wasn't such a pussy bill. Meaning, why does it have to be a secondary offense law? A driver has to first be speeding or reckless driving? They're not speeding -- they're usually going so slowly or braking every two seconds. That should be considered illegal too! I think what's most annoying are the people who are driving at 10 miles below the speed limit, or worse yet, braking...yes, braking, on uphills when the traffic lights are green ahead and there are no cars in front of them. And when I pass them, yup! They're looking down at their phone texting!!

Pardon the rant, I've just had my fill of horrible Nebraskan drivers. And I can't believe that it's still legal to use hand-held cellular phones while driving. It's 2010, people! Has anyone heard of a headset or Bluetooth?

photo source

A Top Dog WINO from the Big O

2010-08-04T21:55:00.002-05:00

On Sunday, the Top Sommelier US Championship took place in San Francisco. And the top winner not surprisingly came from Thomas Keller's very esteemed The French Laundry in Yountville (in the Napa Valley). But what was more interesting and of note was that the winner is originally from Omaha and had previously worked at his parents' restaurant V. Mertz in the Old Market. A big Omaha congratulations to Matt Stamp for enduring a grueling examination process which included decanting, pairing, characterizing and identifying numerous bottles of wine.

I have had the pleasure of having Matt suggest wines and pour me wonderful glasses while he worked at V. Mertz. I especially remember the time he recommended a special wine of the day and neglected to mention it was $20 a glass! (Hey, it's Omaha, not Paris or NYC so it's not a usual occurrence -- many bottles in Omaha restaurants go for $20!)

It's always nice to see people realizing their dreams. I wish Matt the best of luck in pursuing his Master Sommelier status!

photo source

Another Day, Another Top Ten Song...

2010-07-29T11:52:00.002-05:00

Today I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Feeling a little melancholy, a little lost, a lot tired. It's summer but from how I felt, it could have been the depths of winter. But I also woke up hopeful.

I think that pretty much sums up how I feel listening to another one of my TOP TEN all time favorite songs: Elton John's "Curtains" off Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. It's equal parts melancholic and symphonic at the same time. It can bring on a good cry but then leave me feeling elated at the end. It's pure genius Elton and Bernie in the early days and I can't ever get enough of it.

I'm also a huge early Elton John fan so I'm a bit biased. And to pick my all time fave EJ song was a tough one indeed; but my second runner up was coincidentally also off the same album, the more popular but equally haunting "Someone Saved My Life Tonight."

I just discovered this Alice in Chains' version of "Curtains" on you tube. It's pretty brilliant.

My Top Ten Favorite Tunes

2010-07-22T22:37:00.004-05:00

The other evening I was sitting with a friend by the pool and she talked about how she had a get together at her home and asked each guest to type up their TOP TEN FAVORITE SONGS but not put their name on it. Then the lists were posted up on the wall and everyone had to try and guess whose list was whose.

I loved the idea and might have to steal it for the next cocktail party I host. But of course the more pressing matter is, "What are my Top Ten Songs?" I definitely think about certain songs that seem to always be on playlists that I create, songs that I never tire of and songs that just evoke a certain time and place for me. ELO's "Don't Bring Me Down" always reminds me of fourth grade in Lexington, Kentucky while Blondie's "The Tide Is High" brings me back to taking the bus in 5th grade to my QUEST educational program in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. But they're not songs that make my Top Ten.

It's really difficult to assemble your "all time" ten faves...I just started to list some songs but then I used my iTunes library to see which had the highest "play" counts. Needless to say, the top two most played songs in my library are two songs I put down immediately on my list. Surprisingly, the rest of the most played songs I wouldn't consider Top Ten material or even Top Twenty for that matter. I know some of the songs that were played a lot were during times when I would be obsessed with a song for a summer and listen to it almost every day (such as "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane) and then there are other songs by certain artists that were played more often but I wouldn't consider to be my favorite of their oeuvre...such as Prince's "Kiss." I've played it more than any other song of his but I have to reveal MY FIRST TOP TEN FAVORITE SONG is a different Prince tune: "Erotic City." It's impossible for me to stay in a bad mood with that song playing in the background. The beat, the ridiculous lyrics...the song just oozes Prince at his finest.

07/17/10

2010-07-17T18:07:00.003-05:00

On 07/17/07, I left NYC on a one way ticket to Omaha.

Last night the sky opened up and let out a big tornado-like cloud formation while the sun was slowly setting. It was equal parts gorgeous and haunting -- nothing I've ever witnessed before. It seemed somewhat fitting as the past three years living as a Nebraskan, life has been full of both beautiful and disquieting surprises.

Last year at this time I was on a plane to Los Angeles contemplating my fate in Omaha. While I didn't want to give up on the town that I called my home, there were many factors contributing to the doubt I was having.

All I know is that I'm not getting on a plane today. For right now, I'm enjoying my life on the plains...thanks, Nebraska, for making me feel at home.

The WSoP Bubble Has Burst!

2010-07-14T11:46:00.003-05:00

The bubble has burst!

It's the 41st Annual World Series of Poker in Las Vegas and out of the 7,319 players who started at the beginning of the $10,000 buy-in main event tourney, only 749 get to finish "in the money." And when play resumes today at 12 noon Vegas time, only 574 players will be sitting at the felt tables hoping to become the next multi-millionaire and WSoP champ. First place prize is just short of $9 million.

When I first started to play poker, people thought I was plain crazy and had some junky gambling habit. Especially my parents. It's hard to explain to people about the game of poker when all they think about is gambling = bad.

Of course, it can get bad. Anything in extremes can be really, really bad. But my whole m.o. for playing poker was that it used parts of my brain that just didn't get used working for a fashion magazine. Plus, it allowed me to meet different sorts of people (for one, people with a "Y" chromosome) and socialize...and heck(!), make some spending money on the side! I loved having some extra cash in my pocket to use for dinners, taxis, chai tea soys...all the stuff a NYC gal like me spent her money on.

For a series of years I attended the WSoP, first as a spectator and then as a competitor. It was 5 years ago that this photo was taken by "Flip Chip" while at the 2005 World Series of Poker. I never did play in a Main Event but I have plenty of fond memories of the great cash games that were at all the open tables in the Amazon Room at the Rio as players got busted one by one. I remember playing from noon until 3am one day and how I tripled up when my pocket aces got reraised by pocket queens and then reraised again by pocket kings. It was a beautiful thing...and that's when it's not about skill but total luck.

Poker is a game of skill no matter what people tend to believe. There's a reason why year after year, many of the same people stay on top. But what makes poker so exciting (unlike chess) is that the luck factor is always there to keep everything humble and honest and oh-so-exciting (and sometimes downright heartbreaking).

I wish I could be in Vegas right now to experience that which is the WSoP. There's an energy about it that I miss dearly (along with all the friends and strangers that you meet and get to know over the course of a few short days or weeks). So this post is dedicated to all those I've met through the years through the poker world: Kirsten, BJ, Paul (R.I.P.), Jean, Antonio, Susan, Barry, Jim, Karina, John, Ben, Marcel, Steve, Erik, Annie, Audrey and so many more.

photo source

Pizza, Please!

2010-07-12T18:29:00.001-05:00

After a two week vacation, one of which was spent on Cape Cod indulging in all sorts of wonderful seafood, I came back to Omaha craving some simple pleasures. One of them was a good slice of pizza. Just a slice, not a whole pie, so I needed to figure where my lunchtime fix was going to be...

I've always enjoyed my slices at Zio's but since I was out west I decided to go to the local Sam and Louie's. I don't know why I was surprised but I must admit my slice of pepperoni (shown above) was absolutely delicious. I think it was definitely thin enough to have a little of that New York "drippy" factor, lots of extra grease that needed to be sopped up with a napkin, a good sauce to cheese ratio and finally, a chewy but crunchy crust that wasn't too thick. I posted on Facebook that it was as close to a NY slice that I have ever had here in the Big O. But then I got a commenter who suggested I check out Frank's on 132nd and Dodge.

So the next day, my pizza craving wasn't yet quenched and was now piqued by the suggestion of a more authentic NYC slice. I headed to Frank's located in the old-school Hy-Vee plaza on Dodge and 132nd and ordered two slices: one pepperoni and one mushroom. About two minutes later, I sat down with my two piping hot pieces and couldn't wait to sink my teeth into my slice. Well, let's just say that Frank's definitely knows how to make a good pizza. It was also a nice, slightly droopy, greasy slice with a good size crust and a great combo of crunchy and chewy once again. Honestly, thinking back now I can't say for sure which one was a better slice - -the Sam and Louie's or Frank's -- but I'm just really satisfied knowing that I can get some truly NY style slices in my backyard...or at least not having to take the Continental non-stop Embraer Jet flight back to Newark.

On another pizza note: if you don't know about a simple little pizza joint called "The Pizza Place," now is the time to find out more! It's located on the corner of 168th and Blondo next to the Family Video place. It's not only "The Pizza Place" but also incorporates "Kate's Custard" too. What I love about this new family run joint is that it doesn't bother with the extra stuff that takes away from the focus of the primary headlining food items. The place serves up pizza and frozen custard. Period. Nothing more, nothing less. And in my opinion, it does both extremely well. This is such a little hidden gem in the middle of nowhere (well, it's on the way to Village Pointe for the next time you have to head to the Apple Genius Bar or get some beauty goods at Sephora...).

I think the pizza is really good -- not so much in a NY style way -- but more just a good thin crust pie that has a delicious tomato sauce. I've had a sausage and mushroom pizza but am curious to try the one with sauerkraut (!) and then also try the very CPK-ish bbq chicken pie.

The perfect way to end the meal is with a Kate's frozen custard sundae. We learned from Greg, the owner, that the secret to custard is that it has less air and more butterfat. Some say custard has a higher percentage of egg yolks. I'm not sure what his exact recipe is but it is dense, creamy and oh, Oh, OH-so good!!! You must go and check it out. You won't be disappointed...

That's it for now....I need to high tail it to Kate's to get me a sundae -- hot caramel to be exact!

Turning your Passion into Profit!

2010-06-10T12:14:00.004-05:00

Every year in May, Warren Buffett holds his annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders' meeting in Omaha. It's really a three-day, three-ring circus of presentations, marketing, schmoozing, shopping...extreme capitalism at its best. Many people know about this annual meeting and Omaha is host to so many people representing many cities and countries.

What a lot of people don't know about is BIGOmaha, a three-day event with a focus on entrepreneurs making their dreams and passions come true. The list of speakers is astounding and the stories and presentations that they share with everyone are inspirational. We're truly lucky to have such an event exist in Omaha and to watch it grow into something even bigger.

This past year BIGOmaha had some really noteable speakers, one of whom was zappos.com CEO, Tony Hsieh. If you're a woman, you know about zappos. When I was an accessories editor, I knew a lot about zappos.com since a lot of our featured items were credited to them so that our readers could go and buy the shoes from the ease of their couch!

What a lot of people might not know is that Tony Hsieh became a multi-millionaire only a few years after graduating from college. Not from zappos but from another company called Link Exchange that he co-founded with a college buddy. At the age of 24, he sold Link Exchange for $265 million to Microsoft. Not bad for someone a couple years out of college.

At BIGOmaha, Tony not only gave a very moving presentation but in a true Oprah-like fashion, gave everyone in attendance a free advance copy of his new book, Delivering Happiness. He also created a blogger program that allowed people who had blogs to request an advance copy with the caveat that you had to write an honest review of the book sometime during the week of the launch. The blogger program also included a second copy for us bloggers to use as a give away promotion.

On June 7th, Delivering Happiness arrived at stores nationwide. Already, it's become #1 at Barnes and Noble and is on a slight back order on Amazon.com. But of course, if you want a FREE advance paperback edition, keep reading to find out how you can enter to win. The book is a true personal account of how he went from a elementary school kid with ambitious plans to make money to a grown up kid with ambitious plans to create something he was passionate about with the money he was fortunate to have.

Whether you're a woman who loves shopping from zappos.com, a woman who wants to climb the corporate ladder, a guy who wants to know how a 24 year old kid became a multi-millionaire or a guy who wants to know the meaning of life (ok, maybe that's a stretch), Delivering Happiness is a book that is an easy read and full of inspiring stories about how Tony Hsieh turned his passions into profits. (And I love the title; shoes make women extremely happy and therefore, you definitely can say that Tony delivers happiness everyday to men and women and children all over the world!)

I related on so many levels and laughed along with his very familiar stories. Tony writes about being the child of immigrants from Asia, the dreams that they had, the stereotypical strict upbringing (school, musical instruments). I loved reading about all his successful and failures in being a young entrepreneur and also loved that along the way, he picked up the game of poker and found the table talk and camaraderie in the Vegas rooms to be inspiring and fun. I know that in my own memoir that I am working on that the game of poker really helped shape me to become who I am today.

Delivering Happiness is written in a language that is conversational, as if Tony's sitting with you on your back porch, drinking some beers, telling you about his adventures in middle school and beyond. It's a fun, easy read and I definitely recommend it as a summer beach read that you'll want to pass along to friends. It's appearing to be sold out all over the place, but as a reader of PFO, you can enter to win a free advance paperback copy of the book by commenting below about what your passion is and how you would want to turn it into profit.

So tell us what your passion is in our comment box, we'll pick the winner and put it in the comment section of this post at a latter date.

Loose Meats and other Weird Midwestern Food Things

2010-06-04T11:34:00.002-05:00

The other day a bunch of us were talking about cute restaurants and I mentioned B&G Tasty Foods and she said, "Oh the loose meat sandwich place." Although I know that B&G's tag line is indeed, "Home of the Loose Meat Sandwich," it's not a phrase or food style I was familiar with until about 8 months ago. When I went to B&G for the first time, I sat at the counter and ordered a famous loose meat sandwich with cheese and a side of fries. My first comment is that I think the name "loose meat" sandwich in itself does not sound very appetizing. When my sandwich arrived, I must admit I did not like the pale color of the meat, the pieces of loose meat all sprinkled on my napkin. Don't get me wrong, I love me some sloppy joes (and love that Omaha's own ConAgra is the manufacturer of the Manwich brand); I just think I like my "loose meat" binded with some sauce to disguise the color as well as keep it intact. The texture of the loose meat just isn't my cup of tea.

There's another more famous loose meat sandwich place in the Hy-Vee gas station convenient mart at 156th and Maple. The very established Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop is one of 70+ locations that specializes in this particular treat. I've now learned that this is a very Midwestern specialty and why I never heard of it until this past year. Very popular in Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Illinois, the sandwich is also known as a "tavern sandwich."

So while I didn't quite enjoy my loose meat sandwich at Maid-Rite, I thoroughly enjoyed my french fries. Frankly I think they have some of the best in town. I also love the general vibe of the place. Clean, well-lit, modernized decor but still keeping with the "stools at the counter" and a few booths against the wall diner-feel. I highly recommend dining at B&G Tasty and it's super kid-friendly too.

Speaking of kid-friendly, a fun vibe and a weird Nebraskan food thing, Don and Millie's is another time machine blast into the past. This is the place for the Cheese Frenchie -- basically a deep fried, coated grilled cheese. Chowhound has a great write up of their love of this other midwestern treat.

Another strictly Midwestern thing I have encountered is that waiters are trained to ask if it'll be "separate tickets." So if you're dining with one friend or five, they'll actually give each person their own receipt. I don't know why but I find it extremely off-putting. I think as grown ups, we should be able to split one check fair and square. I think nothing ruins the mood more than a waiter asking if separate checks are needed. Is it just me?

The other very particular Nebraskan strange dining remark is when the waiter comes and asks, "How's everything tasting?" For some reason the use of the word "tasting" makes me squirm. I think I'm just used to waiters just asking the very innocuous "How is everything?" With the added word of "tasting" it just makes it overtly literal as if I should respond with, "Well, actually, it's not tasting so great. I think the chef should have used the more subtle sage than the peppery paprika and would you mind letting him know that?"

So some advice to the Nebraskan dining establishments: please don't ask if we need separate tickets if your diners are over the age of 12 and just ask the very easy "How is everything?" or "Is everything ok so far? Can I get you anything else?" instead of the "How is that texture of the meat between your teeth? Is it tantalizing your taste buds?"

No thanks to Carrie and Company

2010-05-26T08:43:00.001-05:00

In a piece of shocking news....I kinda really don't like Sex and the City. I feel like a traitor to all thirtysomething and fortysomething Manhattan working women in the world of magazines, PR and fashion. But truth be told, I wasn't a huge fan of SATC when I was living in NYC either. I could hardly stomach Carrie's character, Samantha was such an over-the-top caricature and Charlotte wasn't close to anyone who I would want to befriend. It was Miranda with whom I most identified as she seemed the most real and, dare I say it, normal? It seemed truly unrealistic that any of these women would be friends with each other but I understand that TV can work its magic in many ways that suspend reality for good television.

The show came at a time when TV needed something brash, sexy and with strong female characters who were also attractive, successful and...single. It was definitely a very realistic show in depicting the type of women who do exist in NYC and showcasing the myriad of problems that women of that age had in finding love and/or balancing love, marriage and/or a career. For that very reason I tuned in and watched it and for a while enjoyed the stories that were told week in and week out.

But my interest waned rather quickly while I was still a Manhattanite myself. And then I moved to Nebraska. I watched the TBS-edited versions at night when I couldn't find anything else to watch and then when the first movie came out, I went to go see it. I found it so unentertaining that I couldn't bear to watch it again when it was on HBO or wherever it aired.

With the sequel coming out this week, I am once again faced with not really giving a shit. It seems as if so many friends (and many acquaintances) assume that this would be top of my list of things to do but frankly I'd rather poke hot coals into my eyeballs. I'll be saving my $10 and be putting it towards a bucket of balls to be used the next time I hit the golf range.

One of the only reasons why I am somewhat interested in the movie is because my good friend, shoe designer extraordinaire Brian Atwood, has a major role in the movie. Well, not him per se, but his shoes!!! Brian's gorgeous creations were both on set and off and have become SJP's go-to shoe brand.

When I first opened my shop Trocadero, I carried Brian Atwood's shoes. He's a favorite designer of mine, in addition to being a friend, and I wanted to bring the best of the best to Omaha. Unfortunately in 2007, many folks still hadn't heard of the brand and didn't know how lucky we were to have this label represented in Omaha. It's meant that I haven't been able to carry it for the past couple seasons because frankly a lot of women did not know that Brian Atwood was literally going to become the next Manolo Blahnik or Christian Louboutin. So for the past couple years (including right now), women have been snatching up stunning Brian Atwood shoes for 25%-75% off retail at Trocadero. It's not too late!

I've got some amazing circa 2008/2009 shoes that are still in the shop, such as these gold platform stunners! They are literally the most comfortable heel I have ever worn and in the softest, most flattering gold leather. We only have a size 36 left but if you are that size, I urge you to buy them! You won't be disappointed.

Tonight is the Omaha premier of the quintessential chick flick, benefitting the Junior League. I won't be there but my support is still there via two tickets I purchased to give away to two lucky Trocadero visitors as well as my help to secure a Christian Louboutin handbag for a raffle prize at the event itself.

Par for the Course

2010-05-25T08:52:00.000-05:00

I am a total golf junkie. A new junkie, but nonetheless, a true junkie at heart. It's just that I've lived in Manhattan for so damn long that I never was able to become the true golf junkie that was always growing inside me. I didn't own a car, there were no public courses "on the island" and frankly, I had no one to really play with or share my hobby. I worked in fashion! Most of the girls I knew liked to get manicures and pedicures, go shopping and watch Sex and the City. Of all those activities, the only one I could stomach was the pedicure (and I did get them out of necessity more than luxury).

Last week I played 63 holes of golf; 9 holes on Tuesday, 27 (yes, 27!) on Wednesday, 18 on Friday and 9 on Saturday. I wanted to play again on Sunday but couldn't squeeze it into my hectic day which included the 4.5 hour LOST finale extravaganza.

Before this season, I had never repeated a golf course in my life. I played so infrequently that there was never an opportunity to get in the habit of having a regular course. But that is until now. I have been playing mostly at Miracle Hills and I love the familiarity of knowing a course and comparing my past performances on it with how I play it week to week (or I should say, more appropriately, day to day!). I have also played at Stone Creek over on their Blackstone and Sandstone courses, at Pacific Springs and most recently I played the Links course over at Eagle Run. According to an article I read in Southwest Airlines' magazine Spirit, Omaha has the most public golf courses per capita...second to Sacramento. Another thing I really love about Omaha!

It's been both fun to try new courses (next up are Elmwood, the little Par 3 course "The Meadows" over at Eagle Run, The Knolls, Ironwood, Indian Creek, River Wild....the list goes on!) but I do love my semi-regular status at Miracle Hills and becoming comfortable with the course. I've been mostly using a cart but recently purchased a wheeled push cart and have loved the added walking exercise when playing nine holes. The only drawback was that the carts at Miracle Hills have a GPS range finder that comes in handy. But then I realized that with my iPhone I would be able to download an app that could do the same thing. Enter GolfCard, the app that I have been using which not only has all the courses on it, but it allows you to track your scores and will come up with a handicap for you. It's been a great way to analyze my playing and see where I can improve my game.

So next time you're wondering where my blog post is, I'm probably out on the golf course. 27 holes in one day? I still can't believe I did that.

And in case you're wondering, that photo is from the 8th hole at Pebble Beach...no holes like that in Nebraska!!!

Simply gorgeous times three

2010-05-24T22:29:00.005-05:00

There are many reasons why I love Omaha and one thing that ranks near the top is the abundance of peonies in the springtime. They have been my favorite flower for a while now -- I was first really exposed to them while I was a fashion editor and was sent stunning bouquets of them from thankful publicists. Once in a while I would order them as well and didn't realize how pricey they were until I would get the bill for over $150. And then I moved to Nebraska where peonies thrive and a hearty bouquet can set you back around $10. Or nothing. It seems like so many people I know have bunches of them growing in their yards, so ready to be picked and placed in a vase with no charge whatsoever.

On my way to work today I stopped in to see my friend Sheri at Garden Flowers in the Old Market and there she was with a table filled with white peonies. The scent was better than any fragrance out on the market. I had forgotten it was peony season and I just gave her a look that said, "Ummm, a bunch of those please!"

Unfortunately and fortunately for me, the white peonies were all heading to a wedding reception. But she took me into the cooler in the back and there were a bunch of pink and magenta colored ones. She said the pink ones were almost in full bloom and wouldn't really last more than a day so she very kindly threw them all together into a gorgeous bunch for me to enjoy along with some magenta peonies for $5. What more could you want?

Well, more peonies of course! As it turns out, I got a message on my Facebook page from my friend Christi coincidentally telling me that she had peonies to give me from her back yard! I definitely won't be turning down any free peonies -- I'll put them in every room of the house if necessary!

And then tonight, I saw a Facebook post from my friend Ali who moved here from New Mexico last year, with photos of peonies from her own backyard. The above photo is taken from her FB post; I love that they're fresh from the yard. Her first Omaha spring bloom and let's just say, I think she's kind of loving it here now even more than ever. It's amazing what these gorgeous flowers can do for your feelings towards Omaha...

Honor Role

2010-05-24T12:48:00.005-05:00

I've definitely--as of late--been struggling to keep up with my everyday life. One of the things I find hard to do is to keep in touch with out-of-state friends. That combined with my utter dislike of talking on the telephone makes it extremely difficult. I tend to do most of my communication via texting to my friends in Omaha, Facebook for friends both in state and out and the occasional phone call during my "morning commute" to the store.

It was through FB that I learned about my friends' imminent move to Berlin (from Southern CA). Pictures of packed boxes and containers were posted and all I could think was that a comment on FB was not the way I wanted to find out more. I immediately took out my cell phone and dialed my friend D to find out what the heck was going on!

While we were talking about the move, he mentioned how he had a garage sale and at one point, they just left everything out with a big note that said: HONOR SYSTEM: Take what you want and leave money in the mailbox of what you feel is right for the item.

I must admit I was totally intrigued by the whole honor system idea and wished he would have been able to rig a video camera to see what expired. I was incredulous that money was left in the mailbox and that someone didn't just scoop up the cash and walk away. I guess I don't have great expectations from my fellow citizens!

This reminded me of Halloween and leaving a big bowl of candy on my front porch with a note:

Happy Halloween! Please take 2-3 pieces only!! All I know is that the next day I saw an empty Jack-O-Lantern with my note in my front yard. I'm still curious if the first group of kids that came to the house just dumped the candy evenly among them and then took off. I guess I'll never know -- but I certainly am wondering if an experiment is in the works for next time? Pretend not to be home and just observe from inside...

Speaking of experiments, it was the last episode of LOST yesterday and I'm still just taking it all in and trying to answer all the questions that were left....well....unanswered. I'm excited to catch up on various blogs and theories out there to find out what the heck happened.

Omaha in the air...

2010-05-07T13:01:00.001-05:00

Last week with all the Berkies in town, the CNN crew came with the rest of the world's media to cover the annual event. But this year, the CNN team wanted to do a little B-roll coverage about Omaha and its relatively stable economic position in the U.S. during this whole recession. I was lucky to be a part of the video package in part because I happen to know the CNN photojournalist whose mom is a good friend of mine back from my New York fashion days and more appropriately a native Nebraskan herself! Walter Imparato enlisted me to help with doing this piece on Omaha to talk about why I chose to leave NYC to open my boutique in Omaha and what it's been like basically opening in the middle of a recession and staying in business throughout the rough economic downturn. Additionally I was asked to help come up with a business that has been around for many years for them to interview and speak about their ideas of why Omaha has retained so much of its wealth and high economic and low unemployment numbers. I instantly thought of a couple businesses in the Old Market and the one that they chose was Ron Samuelson's M's Pub and Vivace restaurants. I'm so proud to have been able to be a part of this CNN video because it really hits home the core reason of why I came to Omaha and why I continue to love about being here. The piece aired live on CNN all day yesterday and today as well and was on CNN International. It's also available online here.

One lesson learned from this was about how life is about the relationships you make, the ones you continue to nourish and the networking that you can apply to connect those all around you. I try and teach this to my interns both past and present as they venture to look for jobs outside Omaha and within it too. I'm glad I've been able to use my past experiences as a journalist to connect and be part of this story and also include new relationships that I value in the new home that I have made for myself.

Speaking of Omaha, Southwest Airlines' Spirit Magazine did their city profile on Omaha this month. It's a great little feature story on all the aspects of why Omaha continues to thrive and prosper. It covers the arts, the education, the business, the sports and the recreational high points and we're really thrilled again that our city is being highlighted on a national and international level.

Welcome to the iPad

2010-04-27T10:42:00.001-05:00

Okay, the blogging hasn't been frequent but I am hoping now that I have an iPad I will be able to blog more often and more easily. Well, it's not to be...it seems like blogger doesn't have all the bugs worked out to allow for seamless blogging. To begin with, it won't allow me to upload photos. Looks like I will have to find an app for that!

But let's focus on the iPad itself. A true genius piece of technology. I am so looking forward to seeing more of its capabilities. So far so good.

46 Days No More

2010-04-07T02:12:00.002-05:00

It's hard to believe that my Lenten fast of giving up alcohol went without a hitch. There was hardly a day that went by that I honestly did not miss my wine, my Campari and soda, my Pimm's with lemonade, a bottle of cold beer or a dirty martini. Okay, so maybe my listing of so many favorite beverages makes it sound like I was a tad longing for those things, but with hand on heart I truly did not crave...or cave, for that matter.

Even on Easter Day, I waited until almost 5pm in the afternoon before I "broke" my fast with a glass of white wine at a friend's Easter early supper. I thought for sure I would be waiting for a Bloody Mary at 12 noon sharp when the restaurants of Omaha are allowed to serve hard alcohol on Sundays. But alas, I waited until late afternoon and then I stopped after a glass. The crazy thing is what I did next.

I played 9 holes of golf.

It was a splendid day to be outdoors and while I would have normally sat inside with friends gathered around the kitchen on a beautiful Easter Sunday enjoying one another's company while polishing off bottles of wine or mimosas, this year was different. I wasn't so interested in the wine, the dull numbing of the senses and the sleepiness induced. It was gorgeous weather and I wanted to take it all in. Plus, I had played 9 holes the day before and I really had so much fun that I felt a repeat session was in order.

I must admit my game was off partly due to no warm up of hitting balls but I like to attribute some of it to the slight wobbliness of my alcohol-warmed body. Next time, I'll have to see if drinking beer between holes will improve my game. The white wine didn't seem to cut it this time around.

Getting in touch with your inner 80s

2010-03-28T23:45:00.004-05:00

"This must be some sort of hot tub time machine."

I have rarely been so excited to see a movie in a theatre but I just could not resist the overwhelming urge I had to go see Hot Tub Time Machine on opening night. Despite all the excitement I had built in my mind and the enormous anticipation, the movie did not disappoint. It had all the dumb humor I expected it to have. But what I appreciated more than anything was that it did not pretend to be more than what the title promised. This wasn't an intellectual comedy, it wasn't a feel-good coming of age story and it certainly wasn't an overthought, smart-alec-y cliché-driven flick (that starred Steve Carell or Ben Stiller). I love that it had John Cusack in the lead, that its simple premise and title of "a hot tub time machine" was so utterly ridiculous and campy, and that there were fantastic visual and audible references to a time period that I was all too familiar with. Without revealing too much, all I can say is that if you were in high school in the 80s, this is definitely a movie worth checking out. It's too bad that there are so many humorless reviewers out there, some who thought that it was childishly laden with F-bombs and bathroom jokes. Hot Tub Time Machine isn't far from the Bill and Ted movies but there's also that earnest, rooting for the motley crew of old friends who are all in one way or another, kind of losers down on their luck. But oh how things can change with the flick of a switch...

Another "Gem of a Boutique"

2010-03-19T02:17:00.006-05:00

I love nothing more than discovering hidden little gems in Omaha. Perhaps some aren't so hidden, but they've definitely eluded me in the past two and a half years. Mostly my finds center around food but this time I came across a breath of fresh air in the world of men's clothing and accessories.

My recent find and hidden gem award goes to Rossi Clothiers at Rockbrook Village (around 108th and Center). I just learned about the mens' store recently and my big regret is that I didn't know about it during the Christmas holidays as I could have picked up some really wonderful presents. Charlie Rossi, the proprietor, was on hand and greeted us immediately upon our arrival. I could tell by the lighting and the interior design that this was a store that paid attention to detail. And one of the first items I noticed was the Robert Talbott shirts. I knew from that point on that I had found the mens' store I was looking for in Omaha.

I felt like I had found a kindred spirit on the mens' side of the business. Charlie clearly has a love for high quality and craftsmanship that is reflected both in the brands and merchandise that he stocks as well as the warm and inviting atmosphere he has created. I love the framed vintage Sports Illustrated cover and other sports memorabilia from his native city of St. Louis. There is a TV for the die-hard Husker, Blue Jays, Mavericks (or Cardinals) fan for those who are either checking out the seven fold ties, the Etro pocket squares or trying on a pair of Italian-made Gravati shoes. Some highlights include sportswear from Faconnable, custom suits from Samuelsohn, dress socks from Pantherella of England and a great assortment of wool and cashmere scarves.

Being at Charlie Rossi's shop was a 180 degree reminder of what I encountered a few months ago. While shopping for mens' gifts at Christmas, I stopped at a few other local merchants and was terribly disappointed by what I found; unfashionably dated but absurdly priced garments and accessories. Plus the service at these establishments was horrible; actually one of the places I have been to on several occasions, I have never been greeted and no one has ever approached me asking if I needed any help. I actually had to walk around asking, "Do you work here? Can you help me?"

Not only was Rossi Clothiers a giant step-up in merchandise but the man himself was truly a top-notch guy. I hope that you take the trip out and see for yourself...I know you won't be disappointed.

She said, she heard and she said some more

2010-03-13T09:14:00.000-06:00

All we could say at the end of the evening was, "What's wrong with people?"

It's definitely not always easy being a shopkeeper.

A couple came into the shop and the first sign of trouble was when she opened up her mouth and said in a flippant tone, "An umbrella for $50!"and barreled into the store, critiquing this and that as she made her way towards the shoes and bags. She then eyed one of our sale bags on a back display table. "Oh, it's still $1125. I guess I'm not going to buy it."

Knowing the bag was on sale, I knew that price definitely wasn't right so I walked over to the bag and said, "Um, it shouldn't be that price, it's on sale" and as I reached into the purse, I looked at the price tag clearly marked down from $995 to $825. I let her know that it was actually $825.

"I would never spend that much on a purse. Especially not on anything that trendy that will just go out of style next season."

I started to think about telling her that it was a classic bag that wouldn't go out of style and a really great investment piece. But before I even had the chance to speak, she quickly blurted out: "No one is going to buy that bag." After an awkward silence, I responded in a hopeful tone, "Someone will buy that bag." And that's when she got agitated and replied, "Oh, so you're saying someone will buy it but just not me." Quickly followed by, "Let's leave [to her husband], she just insulted me." Then added as she walked away from the purse, "I'll let you know that I have spent $300 or $400 on bags before."

"Now, don't be rude," said her husband lightly. To which she glared at him, "Why, she just insulted me!"

Her husband looked somewhat pained and gently repeated, "Don't be rude..."

"She just insulted me saying that someone will buy it but just not me!"

He slowly started to walk toward her but you could tell that he's been in these situations before.

But she wasn't done. "I've been in here 10 times to look at that bag. Why won't you sell it to me?" She said it to us as if there was a conspiracy to not let her have that bag.

"Have you had other people come in and look at that bag 10 times?"

"I've had people interested in that bag," was all I could offer at that point. To which she responded, "But not anyone who has been in here 10 times like me."

As a last ditch effort at the door, she stood and barked something along the lines of, "What would it have to be for you to sell it to me?" It was like a reverse haggle. Then she added, what I read as a sort of threat, "I have a lot of money." The only way for me to respond to her strange request was by nicely stating, "I'm sorry, this is not a bazaar and I can't let customers name their price." Do the salespeople at Nordstrom or J. Crew deal with this?

"Well, how much lower is it going to go and when?" she demanded to know on the spot. Mentally, I took a deep breath and then replied, "It might go down to 30% off."

Who knows what she wanted to hear. But even at 30% off, the bag would be closer to $695 and let's face it, that's still a lot more than the supposed $300 or $400 she has spent on bags. And we couldn't help but think that if she had so much money then the price really should have been no object. And from the get go, she complained about a limited edition Jun Kaneko umbrella for $50. All I knew was that at the end of the day, I couldn't do anything to make that woman happy.

It doesn't sit well with me when someone leaves the store unhappy. I generally try to go over the situation in my mind and try to assess whether or not I could have done anything differently. When the couple finally left, my colleague expressed to me what I truly believed to be the case. That I had done and said nothing wrong. Some might even say that she was insulting me and not the other way around. The sad result, though, is that for me I know that her experience in the store wasn't positive and that doesn't make me happy. It also means she could continue to believe she was insulted and tell that to people who don't really know what happened. But my colleague and I know the real story and just hope if she does decide to go that route, that she's able to sleep at night.

Oh, the joys of owning your own small retail business!

The Accidental Oriental

2010-03-12T17:06:00.004-06:00

The other week my friend told me I had to watch a specific episode of Modern Family. I looked at him with some doubt and was quick to dismiss him because I had given the freshman show a chance a couple months ago and just didn't think it lived up to all the hype. I thought it was going to be "too smart" for its own good and be irritatingly scripted and unfortunately my first impression was indeed on point.

But with that said, I decided that I would give the show another chance. It's kind of the same way I feel about eating at a new restaurant. Everyone and everything can have an off night. So I decided to use my same level of critiquing about food for watching a television program. If I "go there" and it's bad the second time around, then perhaps my first instinct wasn't so wrong after all.

I logged onto hulu.com and loaded up the "Fears" episode and hoped that it wouldn't be unbearable, overacted, smug or cliché. I realized once I saw that the gay couple were having the Asian doctor over, the reason why my friend wanted me to tune in. This is of course my gay friend who once accidentally referred to me as "Oriental" and after correcting him, the term has now become part of our everyday vocabulary. "And what is the Oriental doing today?" "I'm going to go see the other Oriental for lunch at an Oriental restaurant, wanna come?" "Is the Oriental free to go to the movies?"

The episode was full of very humorous moments including lines about the "Giant Panda in the room" (made even better by the Japanese-American doctor's, "Um, that's Chinese but oh, never mind" comment). And it ended classically with her talking about not ever living up to her mother's idea of a stereotypical Asian, while she plowed through the garbage cans at the end of the driveway and dinged a parked car on the street as she drove away.

There is some truth to the "D.W.A." (Driving While Asian) stereotype. I know some Asian drivers who are in typical fashion, pretty bad drivers. But I also know some Caucasians who are equally horrendous behind the wheel. But truth be told, I'm a relative newbie when it comes to driving on the wide, open roads. My active driving skill years are really only limited to the ages of 17-18 and 37-40 though I did do some rental car driving sporadically in my twenties and early thirties. But the good news is that I've never caused a car accident and I've never gotten a ticket. My gay friend would tell me that's because I drive so effing slow...or in his words, "like a grandma." I totally disagree, of course. But that's because I'm an excellent driver.

A New Level of Shopping

2010-03-11T11:20:00.001-06:00

No matter how many clothes I own, I like to always update with a few things each season. The only problem is that I don't take my own advice and get rid of things that I haven't worn in years or more importantly dispose of seasonal, cheap stuff I wore the heck out of and enjoyed but aren't really investment pieces worth taking up coveted real estate space in a closet.

I used to make a few bigger purchases each season and then do some filling in with some trendy, cheaper items. Some great investment items have been my Prada wool trenchcoat, a Katayone Adeli lace dress, a Jil Sander navy wool and cashmere skirt, a Dries van Noten cotton blouse, a Chanel spring tweed jacket and a YSL gray wool tunic. All of these items still remain in my closet and are in full wardrobe rotation at all times (well, except for the Jil Sander skirt which honestly is a tad small...but I am hopeful to fit into it again by next fall/winter!). My favorite "filling" stations back in NYC were Strawberry's, J. Crew, American Apparel, Club Monaco and one season, Bloomingdale's flagship's second floor. I often didn't have much luck at Zara or H&M though I definitely own a few items from both (and based on my advice, should have gotten rid of these items long ago as I don't really wear any of it anymore). The remaining items in my closet are sample sale purchases, gifts from the designers and stuff I bought while on vacation or business trips.

On my current budget, I can't afford to buy the high-ticket items and while I do miss, at times, the beauty of really well-made and well-designed items, I must say that I am really happy to find some very fashionable and inexpensive finds at my not-so-secret retail therapy "boutique." That place is called Target. Have you heard of it?

All joking aside, I really have replaced Prada and Barneys with Target and Kohl's. And I have to say, my wardrobe hasn't really suffered too much from it. The other day I went to Target to check out the new Gaultier collection. Unfortunately, that Target didn't have it so I took to the phone to call around and finally tracked it down to another location closer to my home. Hurray! as I thought about adding a fun, navy and white nautical stripe top or dress or something else to my spring wardrobe. I had heard about a leather motorcycle jacket (for a whopping-for Target $200!) as well as his signature "tattoo/grafitti" patterned items. With full anticipation I entered the Target and....disappointment! Honestly, it was all so bad but I couldn't just leave so I decided to at least try on the navy and white striped dress. As I was making my way to the dressing room, a dress against the wall caught my eye. It was a black tank top style with a long skirt in a shimmery silky taupe with a double stitched cuff-like hem. I loved it but the only ones left were a XL and XXL. Feeling fat these days, I took the XL and thought maybe it would work. Along the way, I grabbed a floral tunic top in lavender and some drawstring cotton sweatpants in a pretty wisteria color. And off I went to the dressing room.

"Disastrous," is all I could sum up for that JPG nautical dress. Maybe on someone who weighed less than 100 pounds. The horizontal stripes, the weird extra material that looks like a diaper and goes between the legs and the totally 100% polyester material = Totally NOT Tubular. More like I looked like a tube.

The Mossimo tank dress, on the other hand, was splendid! Absolutely perfect...except for the size. I had to have it; it was very minimalist and had a Dries-like quality but at a Target price ($24.99)...so on my MUST DO TOMORROW ASAP LIST was stop at one of the other nine hundred Targets in Omaha to track down the dress.

And as already predicted, the floral top and sweatpants were comfy, sweet and definitely something to lounge around in at home on the weekends. And the top paired with a skirt and cardigan could work outside the home as well. (Who am I kidding, I'll be wearing the sweatpants with the shirt with heels and rocking it at the Troc! In comfort!)

Needless to say, I became obsessed with my Mossimo dress and finding it so it became priority numero uno. There were three Targets on my list and I went to the first one and...voila, my dress was hanging on the wall in a S and a M. I grabbed both and en route to the dressing room I found myself in the Liz Lange Maternity section and then the store went quiet. Or, more appropriately, I stood there silently but mumbling in my brain, "I mean, really Alice, c'mon, I mean, can you really? No. ALICE! Really? I know you think you're kind of chubs these days but you can't really shop from the maternity section of Target! But I know, it's really cute. I mean, R-E-A-L-L-Y cute. Looks totally like your Marni khaki cotton trench.
But, really, Alice...it's effing Liz Lange Maternity. Says so on the freaking label on the back of the coat! It just doesn't seem right. But not like you really care..." and with that last thought, I looked around me and stealthily grabbed the Small and Medium and headed off to the dressing room.

"OMG. I love it!" was all I could say but my mind was still in that purgatory known as "I'm not pregnant, can I really get away with buying something from a maternity line?" But it fit, the empire waist was very chic, I loved the belt, the length was perfect and the olive green looked fresh. I tried to look at myself from every angle to see if it looked like there was too much extra fabric in the middle section. And to be honest, it wasn't much different from my own Marni empire-waisted cotton trench in terms of the shape. To me, this Liz Lange Maternity trenchcoat was a winner. And at $39.99 you couldn't beat the price. I finally decided I didn't care that it was maternity and who knows? Maybe one day I will be pregnant and then I will already have something to wear! "SOLD!"

It's Idol Time

2010-03-09T23:53:00.003-06:00

Tonight, I got sucked into the vortex otherwise known as American Idol. I don't usually tune in until the top 10 or so but I just happened to walk in the door as it was on and had an hour before Lost started so I decided to give the final eight females a listen. I missed the first contestant but managed to hear the remaining seven. As much as I hate to admit it, but I have to agree with Simon Cowell's critiques tonight. My favorites were Didi and Crystal and I hope they both get through to the next round.

The best part of Idol is watching "Idolatry," Entertainment Weekly's video recaps and commentary. They're so well done and often times laugh-out-loud funny; I'm looking forward to watching some of the older clips as I now know some of the players. Tomorrow the final eight guys sing and I'm definitely going to try to watch them too.

Part of my problem with watching the shows is that I have no room on my DVR. That's because I tend to save so many past programs, including, coincidentally...many of last year's Idols. Being slightly obsessed (ok, totally and madly) with Adam Lambert had me saving multiple episodes of Idol as well as his appearances on various programs. But even with my recent (sigh, sad) deletions, I still don't seem to have enough room for all my programming. Tonight I'm trying to watch three weeks of Survivor but I think I'm almost about to pass out from exhaustion.

Instead, I'm gonna get in bed and start watching some Idolatry.

Oscars 2010, The Recap

2010-03-08T12:10:00.004-06:00

Call me a party pooper but I have to admit I wasn't actually planning on watching the Oscars this year. With 10 nominations for Best Picture, I was ready to boycott what I believe was a terrible ploy for ratings to get a broader, younger audience instead of recognizing the true standouts in filmmaking this year. But I just wasn't able to ignore it; no matter how I tried, just when I thought I was out, the annual ceremony just pulled me back in.

So there I was during the E! pre-game telecast standing on the red carpet donned in a turquoise lace "gown" and black patent with major bling Sergio Rossi stilettos. The other "actress" on the red carpet with me was wearing a hot pink chiffon evening dress with satin Jimmy Choo kitten heels with Swarovski crystals on the toe. Perhaps what it took for me to see the fun side of the Oscars was doing a little dress up myself. And with some live-action interviews on the red carpet, well, the evening definitely was off to a lively start.

I guess a lot of my curmudgeonly attitude is due in part to the overly focused nature to these award shows in my prior profession. Frankly, I just have lost interest in both the fashion and what people are wearing as well as the ceremony and who wins. And for the aforementioned 10 movies being nominated, well, I just really, really lost interest. But yesterday was a different occasion entirely partly because I didn't have any vested interest in who won (I haven't seen most of the movies unlike past years) and I looked at the dresses from a purely "outsider's" viewpoint.

I don't know what people were wearing and whose jewelry they had on (and still don't really know or care for that matter) but I do know what I liked and who I thought looked good. So my BEST AND WORST DRESSED AT THE OSCARS 2010 (in no particular order):

1. Demi Moore...okay, she may have had a lot of help under the knife, but I liked her nude dress and her tousled up do.

2. Penelope Cruz...I really liked the color of the dress and the tucks and pleats. Dramatic but did not take over (unlike Vera Farmiga's way too much going on pleating and bedspread cover-like fuchsia dress)

3. Rachel McAdams...it didn't read like a Monet watercolor on the television monitor but I liked the soft, ombre-look of the dress

4. Elizabeth Banks...just remembering I liked the grey and floating layers of chiffon. Thought it was very elegant and fit her well.

Honorable mentions include Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Miley Cyrus, Helen Mirren, Kristen Stewart.

I did not like SJP's dress. I know it was Chanel Haute Couture but I just thought she looked way too broad shouldered; plus no matter what, I don't like that yellow color on an evening dress. No thank you. I also did not care for Charlize's gown...the rosettes placed right on the breasts were so distracting and almost laughable. It reminded me of a spoof dress or something really bad done by someone on Project Runway. And I thought Zoe Saldana's purple ruffle explosion was a mess. It was too costumey and something that belonged on a Flamenco stage (I should know because I just saw the Flamenco show at the Orpheum last week and it really could have used some of this color and flounce!).

photos from People.com

Mob Ties

2010-03-01T16:43:00.002-06:00

When I moved to Nebraska, people kept asking me, "Why are you in Omaha?" And once in a while I used to joke because I was placed in the Witness Protection Program. Little did I know that this wasn't uncommon... The other week I was watching Good Fellas for like the seventh time and I couldn't stop thinking about Henry Hill, the real-life wise guy played by Ray Liotta. I'm fascinated by the Witness Protection Program and started to think about Henry Hill and where the hell he ended up.

For some reason, an Italian-American friend of mine, originally from NYC, in his 60s who lives in Omaha entered my mind and my over-active imagination thought, "Maybe he's Henry Hill!" I immediately went to google Henry Hill and was shocked to find out that he and his family were first relocated to Omaha when they entered the Witness Protection Program. "OMG, my friend is Henry Hill!" I thought to myself until I saw the photo as well as the other information about his whereabouts (Malibu, currently, and before that in the Redmond/Seattle area). Okay, perhaps I knew that my friend wasn't the real Henry Hill but I found it coincidental that Henry, like me, lived in New York, Omaha, Kentucky and also had ties to Pittsburgh. It's as if Henry Hill and I are on the same path of life! I mean, last night I made a "Sunday gravy" tomato meat sauce and he made one too when he worked at a North Platte, NE Italian restaurant. (By the way, that is one of the best scenes in Good Fellas when he tells his nephew to keep stirring the sauce.)

I was reading an interview with Henry Hill's kids on 60 Minutes Online and was thinking about how it must have been for them to have to "be on the run" and to still feel like they must hide their true identity. The photo of them has them in disguises to protect their identity; apparently the Hills have all been out of protected custody for years now. I find it remarkable that Henry Hill is still alive and hasn't been whacked all these years since he's been a "free man." Apparently he's alive and well, living in Malibu with a new fiancée and everything.

And Now Back To Our Regular Scheduled Programming...

2010-03-01T14:00:00.003-06:00

I've taken leave from my usual TV watching the past couple weeks to tune into the Vancouver Olympics, you know to watch those folks using a Swiffer AND a Roomba. And they call that a sport?!

Okay, so maybe I didn't watch NBC, a.k.a. the "Nothing But Curling" network only for the ice-cleaning sport. I relished in the figure skating, both men's and women's, and I enjoyed the Snowboard Motocross as well as the very curious Biathlon. I know it's been years since I've cross country skiied and shot at targets, watching it on TV made me really yearn for those yesterdays. But now it's all over and we're back to reality...and that means the other kind of Reality TV.

I've been a Survivor junkie since the first season. I know the first step is to admit the addiction and so there it is for everyone to view and to judge and to whisper amongst yourselves, "Wow, she's really a huge dork!" I know I am. I can't help but get into the psychological and physical competitiveness of the game combined with the use of true mental acuity. It's been a geek addiction with some of my former magazine mates where we would always get together for the finale and make our own predictions of who would ultimately be the one who Outwitted, Outplayed and Outlasted everyone. I love watching the recap "Ponderosa" videos on CBS.com and reading all the post-episode gossip on sites like Television Without Pity and others.

But last Fall, I did the unthinkable: I missed an entire season of my beloved Survivor! I've decided not to fall off the wagon again; with this being the "Heroes vs Villains" season, I'm already familiar with all the players (well, minus the one guy that was on in the Fall). I'm behind a couple weeks but it's more fun to watch two episodes back-to-back anyway. It seems like it's the way I've been watching a lot of my shows these days anyway. Another one on my DVR? The Amazing Race, but of course! I'm a little behind on these too but I'm looking forward to tuning in to see what irksome duos have been cast. Good times, good times.

source: curling

The Omaha Olympics

2010-02-25T15:34:00.004-06:00

You might think I'm talking about some local sporting contest. Well, in some ways it is. Similar to mogul skiing, it involves varying controls of speed and at times includes dangerous moves. What I'm talking about is driving on the pot-hole filled Omaha roadways. OMG. Honestly I think I can just stop writing right there because anyone who is from Omaha can attest to the horrible conditions of the streets. It's apocalyptic in some places. Think Beirut circa 1982. The Gaza Strip. Today, I felt like I was in a video game dodging the pot holes and swerving into (thankfully) open passing lanes on the left as to avoid the cringe-making sound and feel of my car dipping into a half foot deep crater in the pavement. Ouch!

There is something very wrong when your eyes are only concentrating on the conditions of the street and not on the traffic in front to the side or the back of you. And I know that I've definitely gone into the opposing traffic lane, if not just for a second, just to avoid the giant crevasse in the street. Some of them aren't even divots but like a sea dividing two countries.

There are parts of Dodge that are so bad that you can see the bricks. The bricks! Today on Saddle Creek as well as Leavenworth around the 20s and 30s was just atrocious...and there are some major dunkers along Cass Street between Fair Acres and Peony Park. And I've completed avoided Maple as I've heard it's like war-ravished territory. How about you? Any near misses or Olympic-sized acts of death defying defeats?

Opera 101

2010-02-24T08:15:00.003-06:00

As a classically trained pianist, my ears are naturally fine-tuned to the works of Beethoven, Chopin, Bach and Mozart. While I don't recall listening exclusively to classical music while growing up, I remember it being played on the car radio and on scratchy vinyl records on our turntable at home.

But it wasn't until I was in college that I really started to learn about opera. I took an "Intro to Opera" class during the second semester of my freshman year that included pieces from Puccini, Verdi, Wagner and Mozart. I remember being tested audibly on memorization of everything from key schemes to specific arias and answering what was happening at the moment in which act and scene. If it wasn't for my background in music, this would have definitely been a more challenging class. Thankfully, my classical background combined with my general love of music paired well when it came to learning about opera. And the best part of taking that "not for my major" college course was my continued love of romantic era operas. I always try and stress to my high school and college interns that it's important to really make the most of what their colleges offer in classes and to learn about anything and everything that may be of interest. While taking opera did not directly train me to get a job, it has definitely broadened my overall knowledge base that did in fact play into every aspect of my life: story layouts for work, crossword puzzles for fun, trivia games, having a shared passion with new friends.

I can't believe it was almost two years ago that I went to see Opera Omaha's production of Aida. It's a tad disappointing to say the least that I haven't been able to support it more. This weekend are two performances of Mozart's very fun and light opera, The Marriage of Figaro. If you've never gone to an opera and have any interest whatsoever, I highly recommend this one as a starter "course." It's not at all pomp and circumstance; in fact it's highly comedic and the music is so lively and of course the overture is very recognizable to boot. I am a little biased too; the actor/singer who plays Count Almamiva came into the shop a few days ago and I'm always wanting to support the productions even more when I meet the cast and crew. They spend so much of their life on the road, doing what they love, but living very nomadic lives. His name is Kelly Markgraf and pay close attention to him because apparently he will be the lead in Opera Omaha's 2011 production of Don Giovanni, another Mozart favorite.

photo source: Figaro poster