Archive
January 31, 2010 - 1:29 pm
Taken @ 10:54 am EST on Saturday, January 30th, 2010
After yesterday, I couldn’t help but be more appreciative of the two main men in my life: my husband, Logan, and my cat/baby, Monster.
Monster likes to be held like a baby and petted or scratched. We both hold him that way from time to time, but for some reason, Logan is better at it. Monster stays in his arms much longer, sometimes even falling asleep. On the other hand, Monster loves to curl up in front of my stomach while I take a nap.
I caught this particular photo just before Logan & I headed out to do laundry & hang out with my step-father. It’s a perfect example of how important it is to slow down and really enjoy the little moments in our lives.
Taken @ 12:37 pm EST on Sunday, January 31st, 2010
Years ago, I ordered a few pieces of Japanese fabric on Etsy, which I still haven’t done anything with. Yearning for a new photo background, I pulled out the fabrics this afternoon and captured pieces of my favorite chocolate bar in all their glory. I really like the look of the fabric and the angle of the shot, but since I shot this in direct sunlight, I got some nasty shadows.
[Images taken by Victoria Klein]
January 29, 2010 - 11:29 am
Taken @ 11:12 am EST
I’ve been thinking of my father a lot today. It’s not his birthday (July 23rd). Or the anniversary of his death (March 22nd). A slew of things have brought him into my mind today, so I felt it necessary to pause & ponder on him.
His voice echos in my head. His smile fills my heart with hope. His favorite phrase now stands as a testimonial to irony: “It’s too far from my heart to kill me.” (Back Story: My father died at the young age of 48 from a “dissecting aortic aneurysm“.) I’ve accepted that his physical form is gone, but his energy lives on with my memories.
[Random Notes]
People that (visually) remind me of my Dad: Jim Carrey, Nicholas Cage, Steve Perry (ex-lead sing from Journey & one of the best rock vocalists of all time), Steven Tyler (lead singer from Aerosmith), Kevin Richardson (former member of the Backstreet Boys)
Songs that remind me of my Dad: Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men “One Sweet Day”; Christina Aguilera “Hurt”; Def Leppard “Two Steps Behind”; Michael Jackson “You Are Not Alone”; Backstreet Boys “Incomplete”; The Eagles “Wasted Time”; Phil Collins/Mariah Carey “Against All Odds”
[Image taken by Victoria Klein]
January 28, 2010 - 1:23 pm
On a snowy day like today, what is better than a hot cup of tea & some scrumptious donuts. I know, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner & even (gulp) bikini season. The thought of consuming a few calorie bombs is tempting, dangerous … but these donuts are different.
Illinois’ vegan (no eggs or dairy) bakery Nutrilicious makes cookies and donuts that are almost healthy for you. Add in the fact that they are enticingly addictive and you’ve got a top favorite of mine! I discovered them through, who else, Whole Foods in San Francisco. Ecstatically, the Whole Foods here in Connecticut sells them as well (visit Nutrilicious’ website to find a store near you with their goodies). You won’t find any flashy graphics or fancy packaging, just damn good treats.
I haven’t tried their cookies yet, but let me say just how heavenly their donut holes are … major yum! I’m partial to the cinnamon and chocolate flavors, but the gingerbread I tried last night were quite good as well. In case you are wondering, each donut hole is only 50 calories, has no saturated or trans fats, no cholesterol, and low sodium. So, they aren’t “bad” for you, but still not the same as eating an apple. 
[Images courtesy of Nutrilicious]
- 8:58 am
Taken @ 8:43 am EST
Hallelujah! The snow is back!
Feeling adorably cozy, watching it fall from the living room window.
It is still January, no? OK, just checking. Thought I was losing my mind for a bit there.
[Image taken by Victoria Klein]
January 27, 2010 - 12:16 pm
Taken @ 12:08 pm EST
Don’t let errands and arguments distract you from what really matters.
Our existence is impermanent, so make the best of it!
[Image taken by Victoria Klein]
January 26, 2010 - 12:20 pm
Taken @ 12:05 pm EST
The sun can change my mood in a mere moment.
I still wish we had a few feet of snow … but this clear, 40-something degree weather is like a breath of fresh sea air.
I’m renewed. I’m invigorated. I want to hug everyone I see.
[Image taken by Victoria Klein]
- 11:54 am
Soft lines and pastel colors contrast with emotional eyes and nightmare fears. They all blend seamlessly in the artwork of Australia’s Kareena Zerefos. I was introduced to Kareena via the ever-awesome decor8blog and was entranced by her subtle, realistic style.
Stop by Kareena’s website/blog for all her latest works & visit her online store, featuring t-shirts, signed prints, greeting cards and more!
[Images courtesy of Kareena Zerefos]
January 25, 2010 - 9:41 am
Taken @ 9:32 am EST
I love the smell when it rains.
Still, it is January – this should all be snow.
[Image taken by Victoria Klein]
January 24, 2010 - 10:17 am
Taken @ 10:32 am EST on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010
A myriad of teas to choose from. OK, 5 of the 6 are herbal teas, which aren’t really “tea” per se (since they don’t contain leaves from the tea plant), but they are all very tasty. Drinking one of these each morning makes me miss my San Francisco tea shop all the more.
In case you are curious, these are the teas in the photo: Traditional Medicinals Organic Lemon Echinacea Throat Coat; Numi Organic Chinese Breakfast Tea; Organic India Vanilla Creme Tulsi Tea; Organic India Sweet Rose Tulsi Tea; Chopra Center Organic Relaxing Herbal Tea to balance VATA (for me); Chopra Center Organic Soothing Herbal Tea to Balance PITTA (for the hubby)
Taken @ 9:42 am EST on Sunday, January 24th, 2010
The beginnings of my first attempt at beef stew. The Shaws grocery chain has an amazing deal going on this week: buy a beef or pork roast (minimum 3 lbs.) & get a FREE 5-lb. bag of Maine potatoes, FREE 2-lb. bag of white onions, and a FREE 1-lb. bag of whole carrots. I personally wanted a pork roast, but when we got there, all they had was beef.
Our concoctions is brewing in our brand new 7-quart slow cooker that we got for Christmas from my husband’s parents. This thing is a beast & I love every inch of it!
Stew, like soup, is pretty straightforward to make, but there is one hitch: my husband hates stew. First, he doesn’t like cooked carrots – too mushy for him. Second, he doesn’t like the taste of stew broth. Despite those issues, we’re still giving the stew a shot. Technically, stew is the same as a roast, but you cut the roast up into pieces & add a bit of extra liquid (I used organic low-sodium vegetable stock). We also went easy on the carrots.
[Images taken by Victoria Klein]
January 22, 2010 - 10:04 am
Taken @ 9:21 am EST
They say you can tell a lot about a person by looking at their bookshelf.
John F Kennedy had Vital Agriculture in Great Britain, Denmark and the Argentine by Joseph Henry Brantom
George Orwell (aka Eric Arthur Blair) had An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments With Truth by Mahatma Gandhi
Susan B Anthony had Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
Tupac Shakur had The Bhagavad Gita As It Is by A. C. Prabhupada
Marilyn Monroe had The failure of success; the American crisis in values by Esther Milner
John Muir had The elements of moral science by Francis Wayland
I wonder what secrets my bookshelf hints at … how about yours?
[Image taken by Victoria Klein; historical info from LibraryThings.com's "I See Dead People's Books" project]
