Mondays & Marathons

As I sit here on the couch nursing my very, very, very sore legs and core, I figured I could combine my Dear Monday letters with my Tinker Bell Half Marathon recap!

Dear Monday - you've been kind thus far. Soreness aside, you've been both (mildly) productive and very restful. Thank you for that.

Dear Mom - you are a ROCKSTAR! I am so proud of you and your performance in the half marathon! Sorry I couldn't keep up with you, but I'm glad you had your iPod and got a great time! (She's 50, and she averaged a 14:30 mile doing a walk/run combo!)

Dear Disney - thank for putting together such an amazing event. I can see why so many people show up:

There were over 20,000 people registered for all the events of the weekend (a 5K Friday night, kids runs on Saturday, and the half marathon on Sunday). This is the crowd in line to start on Sunday morning at 5:00 a.m.

Minnie and Daisy were there to help kick off the race! What amazing girlfriends ;)

Now, I understand why you have the required time limit (3:30:00 from the time the last person crosses the start line), since the parks have to open. And I'll admit you had me very worried. So, around mile #2, I decided that if I was going to get swept and not get my medal, then I was going to have a ton of fun on the course. And Disney, you helped make that happen:

Getting ready to sprint up Main Street! That was probably the fastest I ran all day. There was something totally amazing and freeing about getting to run to the castle!

With Aurora and Phillip! And "Once Upon A Dream" was playing (which, if you remember, is what I walked down the aisle to). I had to stop for this photo. I didn't care how long the line was (yes, this added about 5 minutes to my run time).  

It was the Tinker Bell Half Marathon. How could I not stop for this?

Dear Self - I know you doubted your ability. I know you didn't train well enough (believe me, we're feeling it today, aren't we?). But you kept going. You kept going. And at the 5K marker, you felt pretty good. And at the 10K marker, you felt really good. And at the 15K marker, you felt amazing. Then you know what happened? You kept passing mile markers. And they didn't raise the orange flag...which meant you weren't in danger of getting swept...and after 3 hours, 47 minutes, and 2 seconds, you crossed the finish line and officially earned your wings:

Back at the hotel, post-race. Check out that medal. She's mine. Alllllllllllll mine.

So, yes. I technically was over the required time limit (3:30:00), but I made it in before they closed the finish line (not by much, but I did!). I learned a lot of lessons:

(1) I'm stronger than I thought. I'm also stubborn and stupid, but I'm strong too.

(2) If I actually followed a training schedule, I could probably be (more) successful at these events!

(3) I kinda like competetive walk/running. I walked most of this (power walked), but I did run a little bit, and I think I could make this happen more in the future.

Dear Husband - Thanks for giving me a massage last night and for telling me you're proud of me. I appreciate all your support!

Dear One More Mile.net - You have the most awesome gear. I bought a t-shirt, a waist pack, and two bumper stickers (which are already proudly displayed on my car).

And that's it for now! I completed a half marathon (and crossed #32 off my 101 in 1001 list). Now, more stretching, more water, and more rest.

Friday Link-Ups

Well, it's Friday again, which means it's time to link up with {av} and Lauren!

First, fashion.

I was still in a bit of a holiday haze + blogging funk when {long distance loving} proposed doing a blog swap this week, so I decided to pass. The prompt if we didn't participate was "come up with your own theme." Well, since all I can possibly think about right now is the Tinker Bell Half Marathon that's coming up in two days (WHAT?!!!? I'm insane. Let's all think good non-injury, non-dying, just cross the dang finish line thoughts for me, okay!) I decided to do a super fabulous Tink-worthy running outfit for today's post:

Tinkerbell 13.1 by colettemarie17 featuring sterling silver jewelry

Cute, right? My running outfit is not that cute. But I'll post pictures next week (that is, assuming I survive). I'll also be crossing off one of my 101 in 1001!

Now, some blanks:

(Sorry. I had to. Isn't she pretty? Arg, I really hope I finish! I want that medal!)

My favorite place I've traveled to is Venice. I love Venice. They had to drag me kicking and screaming back on the tour bus. It's the most magical city in the entire world. I know I left a big piece of my heart there. I can't wait to go back and get it one day!

Hawaii is somewhere I'd love to go someday.

I pass time on the plane by reading, watching movies on my iPod, or sleeping.

My three must-haves when I travel are my camera, good walking shoes, and chapstick.

My favorite travel companion is my husband.

The craziest thing that ever happened to me while traveling is not a very fun story. I was in Paris going to London on January 7, 2005 (the day of the massive subway and bus bombings). It was coming off of a two week trip throughout all of mainland Europe. We found out about the attacks when we were in (ironically) a remaining WWI trench battlefield in the French countryside. It was the most surreal experience of my life. But, we made it back to London safely and spent the entire next day touring the city. The people of London were incredibly kind and very resilient.

The most exotic food I've ever tried while traveling is escargot. And they were amazing.

If I could live anywhere else, I'd live in London. Or Venice. Or maybe NYC. But only for a short period of time; I'd miss California too much.

I have been to seventeen (17) states in the U.S.

That's it for me! Have a great weekend! Clap hard if you believe in fairies!

"All it takes is faith and trust...and a little bit of pixie dust!"

Craft Time: Coffee Cup (or Wine Bottle) Coozie/Cozy

I finally have something worth showing off! I've been neglecting my sewing machine (and entire craft desk, really) since about December 20th when I finished my last Christmas present. I did about 75% homemade gifts this holiday -- a first for me -- and if I didn't touch my rotary cutter again it would've been too soon.

Well, I finally had an ocassion to make something! One of my good friends from grad school got married last summer (on August 6th, Lucille Ball's birthday -- yes, it's important to the story). My husband and I went to her wedding and had an amazing time:

Gorgeous wedding at the US Grant in San Diego. Doesn't she just look stunning?

So, after the wedding, she and her new husband departed on a long honeymoon and my hubs and I started moving up to our new house. Well, then, as it happens, life got in the way. Between all the various work schedules and holiday events, we could never manage to make our schedules work out. We chatted on e-mail and Facebook and sent texts back and forth, of course, but we never had real quality face-to-face time.

Finally, the stars have aligned and we're going to lunch today. So what does this have to do with crafts? Well, I mentioned she got married on Lucille Ball's birthday; that's (partially) because she and her husband are HUGE I Love Lucy fans. When they first started dating, he told her he'd seen almost every episode. She told us that was the first time she was sure she was going to marry him.

Anyway, her birthday was in September. I happened to find a fat quarter of I Love Lucy fabric at a quilt store, but I had no idea what to do with it. Needless to say, we never got together to celebrate her birthday, and the fabric has been sitting on my desk ever since. Well, around Christmas, the Moda Bake Shop Blog posted this recipe for a coffee cup coozie/cozy. And the only thing my friend loves more than I Love Lucy is Starbucks. I knew I had to make her one.

Here it is in process:

The red ribbon is my variation on the design. Instead of stitching with embroidery floss, I skip that step and sew close the one ragged edge, sewing a string of ribbon into the seam. Once the loop is complete, I can tie a cute little bow on the outside of the coozie/cozy.

And here it is finished. I didn't have a coffee cup, so I slid it onto a wine bottle. It works just as well for wrapping/decorating bottles too!

I can't wait to give it to her at lunch today!

Pin-spired: Hair Repair Treatment

Since I'm actually trying to be good and make things I pin on Pinterest, I figured I should add a new label (Pin-spired) to my blog. And now I have to share something totally amazing that I tried this morning!

I found this pin which, sadly, doesn't link back to a blog or website (bad pinning etiquette, I know). But here it is:

At first, I was apprehensive. I mean, the idea of pouring vinegar on my head didn't seem all that appealing. Then I looked at the back of my shampoo bottle and realized if I was willing to put ingredients like "Amino Methyl Proponal" and "Ammonium Chloride" on my hair, Apple Cider Vinegar couldn't be all that bad.

To my luck, I had all three ingredients in my pantry already:

I made the mixture and applied it to my hair. I did it a few small handfuls at a time, rubbing it in at the roots and then using a wide-tooth plastic comb to move it to the ends. Once I'd used about half the mixture, I started applying it directly to the ends of my hair too, to make sure it was throughout all my hair.

I pulled it back in a butterfly clip and let it set for 60 minutes (well, 65, actually...I lost track of time!). I then washed it out using my normal shampoo (I shampooed twice to make sure it was all out) and followed up with my normal conditioner. I then did my normal routine -- left it in a towel turban for about 25 minutes, and the hit it with the blow dryer. Sometimes I let my hair air dry, and I think the result would've been just as good.

The result? My hair feels amazing. Super light and smooth. It's been gross all month, I think from both travel and the whacked-out weather we've been having. But now? Sooooo good. I can't stop touching it.

Of course, there are some problems. Number one, I don't really know what (if anything) was "repaired" about my hair. Maybe moisture? And a cleaner scalp? I really have no idea. Number two, there's no recommendation on the pin for how often you should/shouldn't do this. I think I might try it once every two-three months.

Has anyone else tried this? What were your results? Any tips/tricks for next time?

Dear Monday

It's been a while since I linked up with Megan over at Happy Day, but I'm feeling inspired to get my week off to a good start, and these little letters tend to help me do just that.

Dear Monday -- According to Facebook, you're a mixed bag today. Some people are happy/excited you've arrived, but in general, you're being kind of a downer for my friends. Knock it off, please. That's no way to start the week.

Dear iTunes -- Thanks for not exploding on me this weekend (and today) as I decided it was finally time for me to import ALL of my CDs. My "Recently Added" song list is already at 1,520 and we're not done yet...

Dear feet, legs, core, arms, brain, and cardiac system -- Find every last vestage of strength you have for the Tinkerbell Half Marathon this weekend, please. I know I didn't train hard enough, and I know there's a chance I won't cross the finish line because of the imposed time limit, but I'm going to participate and I'm going to do my best.

Dear kitchen -- why can't you be like the one in Beauty and the Beast and just clean yourself?

Dear Tastefully Simple Business Blast Off Kit -- I can't wait for you to arrive today!!! I'm so excited to start sorting through my new materials and planning my first set of parties!

That's it for today. I've got a laundry list of projects I need to get started on (including, well, laundry), so I'm keeping it short and sweet. Have a good Monday, and a good week!

Weekends are good for food (and a 101 update)

I had a lot of fun playing in the kitchen this weekend. First off, I actually made something -- well, two somethings -- I saw on Pinterest! I made these delicious egg muffins (like mini fritatas) and waffle iron hash browns. 

Yummmmmm. My egg muffins had egg (obv.), cheese, red bell peppers, and cremini mushrooms. I just used plain ol' russett potatoes for the hashbrowns.

Then tonight for dinner, I used a package of Gardein Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n to make this awesomely delicious stir-fry with mushrooms, asparagus, and quinoa.

To make this, I defrosted the sauce packet in water per package directions. I started heating up the chick'n in a wok while the quinoa cooked in a seperate pot. Once the chick'n was pretty well cooked, I added the chopped asparagus and mushrooms with a little more oil. I let that cook down and then added the sauce. I served it as shown above. My husband and I both really loved it.

Both of these meals helped me get to 8/25 for #40 of my 101 in 1001 list.

Movie Reviews: Can anything live up to hype?

Yesterday, I saw two very hyped movies -- one in the theater, and one at home on Blu-Ray. Both movies were quite good, but both movies caused me to ask the title in this post: can anything live up to hype?

I know I'm guilty of over-hyping movies. I believe the words "BEST MOVIE EVER" have escaped my lips on a number of occasions for films that I know consider to be "good, I guess." I get it. I am learning from the err of my ways.

Both of the movies I saw yesterday have won a number of awards. Among the nominations and awards: SAG awards,  Golden Globes, AFI Film Awards, Critics Choice Awards, WGA awards, Cannes Film Festival awards, and various other city critics and film festival awards. Without a doubt, we'll be hearing at least one if not both of these titles at the Oscars.

Again: both of these movies were good. Really good. Yesterday was a great movie day. But neither one lived up to the "These movies are the greatest thing on the entire planet" hype that they both carry. And to be honest...I don't think anything can.

Now, for the reviews*:
*Oh, these movies also served a double purpose -- the took letters "A" and "B" on my list for #17 of my 101 in 1001 list.

The Artist (2011)
Writer/Director: Michel Hazanavicius
Actors: Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bujo, John Goodman, James Cromwell

Before I actually talk about the movie, let me just say this -- you know how they say every person has a twin somewhere in the world? A person who looks exactly you, with no relation? Well, clearly, Rachel McAdams's twin is Berenice Bujo. I spent the entire movie watching her thinking "Really? You're not the girl from The Notebook? Are you sure?" Anyway...

I was nervous about seeing this movie. I'd watched silent films from the 1920s when I was in college for class, and I usually was distracted or fell asleep. But this movie was very engaging. I didn't miss the dialogue at all (in fact, I wish I'd seen the movie at a different theater, since the old ladies sitting behind me did miss the dialogue so much that they added their own...for the whole two hours...). 

Let me start with the good things about the film: First, it's beautiful. Really, really beautiful. Costumes, set, make-up, lighting, score -- the whole things is just stunning. Second, the performances are spot-on. You don't need dialogue (or even the selected title cards) to follow the story through their movements and expressions. Berenice Bujo is an absolute delight; she lights up the screen and is a true revival of the classic Hollywood starlet. Third, the story is really topical. It might not seem like it at face value (silent pictures during the Great Depression), but considering our current economic climate in the United States and the sudden transformation from 2D to 3D films...we're in our very own version of 1929.

Now, the downside to the film: I felt like the middle dragged. Jean Dujardin was excellent, yes, but his downward spiral went on so long I stopped feeling sympathetic for the character. At one point, it was like "dude, pick yourself up and get on with it!" Then the ending happened so quickly that the resolution felt rushed and inauthentic. So, overall, the pacing and structure of the acts of the film left something to be desired.

My grade: A-

Bridesmaids (2011)
Director: Paul Feig
Writers: Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumlo
Starring: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy

Clearing up a couple of things before I start: (1) I normally am not a huge Kristen Wiig or Maya Rudolph fan, especially on SNL (sorry -- they've just never been "my kind of funny"). (2) I haven't seen The Hangover. (3) I love Judd Apatow, just like I love Kevin Smith, but there are always moments in their films when I utter the phrase "ew, gross, I'm not watching this."

Now...I loved this movie. I was prepared to hate it. Some friends of mine had discussed it and most of them said things like "not very funny," "not as great as people say," "too much," etc. I was prepared to hate it for the reasons listed above (I've got no desire to see The Hangover, so I had no desire to see a film describe as "the female version of The Hangover"). But I was pleasantly surprised by this little movie. It was funny, it was smart, and it was full of heart.

I really liked Kristen Wiig's character. I wish she'd play roles like this more often. She's very likeable. But the true start of this film is Melissa McCarthy. Holy cow, she's incredible!!! I was really surprised by her in this, mostly because I only know her as Sookie St. James on Gilmore Girls. And I always loved her as Sookie -- she was a scene-stealer on that show too - but I had no idea she had such comedic chops. Granted, she was responsible for most of the "ew, gross, I'm not watching this!" moments, but I still loved her.

I'm glad I didn't pay for a full-price ticket to see this in theater, but I am glad I bought it on sale at Target. It's the kind of movie I'd watch and enjoy again (either alone or with friends).

My grade: A

Documentaries

I've never been a huge fan/viewer of documentaries, just like I've never been a huge fan/reader of non-fiction books. This is one of the (many) personal boundaries I'm trying to "flex" in 2012. Thankfully, we've got a Netflix streaming account, so there are a number of documentaries available to me at the touch of a button. Here are some I've watched recently and my thoughts on them:

The Universe of Keith Haring (2008)

Image via Haring.com

The documentary itself wasn't particularly well-made. I thought some of the music/graphic/camera choices felt forced, as though the director was trying too hard to evoke the energy and enthusiasm of this artist community of the 80s. However, the subject matter kept me riveted through the entire film.

I first fell in love with Keith Haring in 1997, the same year I discovered the musical RENT. I was fourteen years old and a drama geek, two badges of honor that came equipped with the necessity of being appalled by the AIDS epidemic (which, really, is something we should all be appalled by until we live in a world free of this disease) and, in particular, the effect of AIDS on the creative community, particularly actors and artists. Keith Haring's artwork had been famously used on one of my favorite Christmas CDs (A Very Special Christmas), and I found myself devouring any product I could find that featured his work. I was lucky enough to visit his Pop Shop on Lafayette Street in NYC in the winter of 1998 (the Pop Shop closed in 2005).

This passion and infatuation is what caused me to add the documentary to my instant queue. To be honest, aside from the fact that he was friends with Madonna and Andy Warhol, died of AIDS, and created the popular works I'd known and loved in high school, I knew nothing about the man. So, I enjoyed spending an hour and half listening to his friends and family (and even snippets from him, recorded from an earlier interview) describe the person who was Keith Haring and give their own thoughts as to why his legacy is so important and lives on today.

The September Issue (2009)

Image found via GoogleImages

I like to call this little film "the real-life Devil Wears Prada." Because it is. Everyone knows that Lauren Weisberger's book and the subsequent Meryl Streep/Anne Hathaway film about "Miranda Priestly" and "Runway magazine" were all about Anna Wintour and Vogue. If you didn't know that, I'm assuming it's only because you've never even heard of The Devil Wears Prada.

I'm not a super fashionista (as if reading my blog hasn't tipped you off to that), but I am still fascinated by the industry, especially as to how the fashion industry and the publication industry merge. So for me, this was an incredibly interesting film.

Grace Coddington quickly emerged as my favorite "character" -- as a friend of mine said, "I bet she has some incredible stories." I also enjoyed seeing Anna Wintour's daughter, who said she has no interest in being an editor or having anything to do with fashion, but instead hopes to go to law school someday. Mostly, though, I liked seeing a more human side of Anna Wintour. Yeah, okay, part of me wanted to smack her across the face when she was going on and on about how everyone should wear fur (it's 2012 honey, let's try to be a little more compassionate and enlightened...and yes, I realize the irony of that commentary coming after my comment about wanting to slap her). But I also saw her as an incredibly savvy and passionate businesswoman. She has a very clear vision and really works hard at what she does. I find that impressive.

Waiting for "Superman" (2010)

Image found via GoogleImages

Well. If you care at all about education, children, our country, the future...than this movie is an excellent hour and fifty-one minute sob-fest. Honestly, I come from a background in education. I went to public school. I have friends and family who work at public schools, who send their children to public schools, who work in charter schools, and who send their children to charter schools. I am aware of the problem. I am aware of the epidemic. But this movie, which was exceptionally well-edited, did something to me that I didn't expect. And throughout the entire film, I found myself in tears. Tears of sadness, of anger, of frustration, of fury, of depression, of lack of hope...

It's a hard movie to stomach, for sure. And I know I have lots of people in my life (and maybe even some of you readers) who disagree with the film's message, who believe things like tenure and school boards are necessary, who think lengthening the school day is a bad thing...and I get it. Again, I was a teacher. I know that job security is a scary thing and that you want/need something to protect you from batshit crazy parents who act out of emotion rather than reason. I get that. But to see a school district not even willing to hold a vote for a payraise that would've allowed merit-based pay up to SIX FIGURES for K-12 teachers if tenure had been eliminated...that just blows my mind. I feel like they all said, "Hey, we know we're bad teachers. But since you hired us, now you have to keep paying us, even if it keeps the good people down." And you wonder why so many people who start a career in education leave for something else?!?!

For more on the film and the education reform movement, visit http://www.waitingforsuperman.com/.

Forks Over Knives (2011)

I'll admit, I was a little apprehensive about watching this movie. Even though I myself currently eat a pescatarian diet (something I am changing!), I get a little tired of movies beating me over the head with pro-Vegetarian/Vegan messages. I was justifiably grossed out by the film Food, Inc., but I also feel that more often than not, the benefits linked to the message are lost in preaching and shock-factor.
Forks Over Knives had some preaching, as any good social-documentary will have. You've got to know that going in to anything "non-fiction"; a bias will be present. There is no such thing as unbiased research, journalism, media, thought, whatever. EVERYTHING is influenced by experience and point-of-view. Done.

But what makes Forks Over Knives different is the approach it takes. While it shows you the ways in which The Western Diet is harmful, it's primary focus is on how plant-based diets are beneficial. Amazing concept, right? Instead of just saying "the other way is bad," it follows up with "here's why our way is good." And while there is discussion of industry and politics, the focus is really on the human level -- look at how your individual body can change and grow and be healthy.

For more, check out http://www.forksoverknives.com/

Still in the queue...

I've got a few more piled up to watch. These are on my "find and watch" list:

Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)
Vanishing of the Bees (2009)
The Business of Being Born (2008)
Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead (2010)

Does anyone have any suggestions about other documentaries I might check out?

Linking Back In!

I missed a few of these at the end of last year/beginning of this year, but I'm excited to do another Friday's Fancies and Fill-in-the-Blank Friday this week.

Let's start with the fashion, shall we?

It seems as though I used my Friday's Fancies banner as my inspiration for this week's theme: Color Crush. I didn't really think I had a color crush until I went to Polyvore to create this look and immediately clicked on the hot pink square for "find items in this color." It was only after doing that I realized it was the same color as my banner.

Color Crush Hot Pink by colettemarie17 featuring marc by marc jacobs jewelry

I kinda wish it were spring now...

And, for some blanks:

The last thing I ate was two Morningstar Farm corn dogs.

The last song I listened to was whatever was playing during the credits of *Waiting for Superman* -- I think the song was called "Shine."

Using the letters of my name, I can spell {Colette} - Let, Colt, Tote, Tole, Lot, Celt, Tot

If I had to dress in one color for the rest of my life, it would be black. It goes with everything and can be worn at pretty much every single ocassion.

If you were to look in my bag right now, you'd find a wallet, a planner, a small Moleskin notebook, a ton of pens and pencils, some Advil, tampons, keys, sunglasses, mints from Disneyland, Kleenex, and a camera.

When I finish filling in these blanks, I'm going to pour a glass of wine and plop down on my couch. (I'm filling this out on Thursday night, not Friday morning...)

My all time favorite song to dance to is The Watermelon Crawl. Have you ever done it? It's hilarious. I don't remember it very well, but once I get into it, it's my favorite line dance of all time.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Valentine's Day Decor

I decided I was feeling the love today (perhaps it's because of all the adorable Valentine's Day pins on Pinterest?), so I decided to decorate the house for Valentine's Day. I don't have a lot of V-Day decorations, though - most are from Target last year - so I was searching for a project to inspire me.

Well, I found these prinatables on Pinterest, and I got an idea. When we first moved into our house, we bought two sets of frames to create gallery walls - one in our bedroom, and one in our front hallway. We started filling the frames with old pictures we had and loved, but came to discover we didn't have any 8x10s. I pulled the frames out of the closet and filled the 8x10 frames with these printables. Here's the result:

Down the long front hallway

In our master bedroom

So, now that the house is full of love and photos, I can actually cross two more things off of my 101 list:

66. Create a "gallery wall" of photos in our home.
82. Decorate for Valentine's Day.

My plan is to rotate the printables that are in the large frames to match future holidays and/or celebrations and/or just with quotes and things to have up year round.

A silly thing *Twilight* has given me

Okay. Before you roll your eyes and move on to another blog/post, lemme just say this: I get it. I'm 28 years old. I understand that I talk way too much about pretty sparkly vampires. After all, I mention Twilight in this post, this post, this post, this post (but I think it's more understandable, since it's about my writing and not just the saga), and this post (again, understandable, since it's more about party planning...granted it was a Twilight-themed party....). And those are just the posts where Twilight was the main focus of the post; I'm sure I've mentioned it in passing in other posts as well.

But there's a few things you need to understand to help you understand where I'm coming from.

#1 - Writing my Master's thesis about this series has made it a permanent part of the fabric of my being. I can't separate Twilight from conference presentations, class discussions, social events with friends, or the fact that I have a Master's degree in Literature & Writing Studies.

#2 - I hate vampires. Hate, hate, hate vampires. Don't like reading about them, don't like watching them in TV shows or movies. So the fact that I didn't hate this series was a big deal for me.

#3 - I latch on hard to specific pop culture phenomenons (and usually ones that end up being "untrendy" or "unpopular"). Case in point -- before I was Twilight girl, I was Dawson's Creek girl and RENT girl.

So, forgive me for yet another gratuitous Twilight post, but I discovered something this morning, and I need to share it.

Here's the thing: I'm a country girl. I looooove Brad Paisley and Kenny Chesney and Alan Jackson and Sugarland and The Band Perry and Luke Bryan and Miranda Lambert....you get the idea. More than a country girl, I'm a die hard Parrothead (as if these pics from Vegas didn't tip you off):

Sure, I'll throw a pop station on the radio when I'm driving (especially when I'm driving with people who are not country/JB fans), but that's about it.

And yet, thanks to Twilight, my favorite iTunes playlist to have on while I'm blogging and working on the computer is the movie soundtracks...and there's not a country song anywhere in sight. Who is on the Twilight soundtrack(s) you ask? Here's a selection:

Florence & The Machine | Death Cab for Cutie | Lupe Fiasco | Bruno Mars | Cee Lo Green | Iron & Wine | The Killers | Muse | Vampire Weekend | Linkin Park | The Belle Brigade | Paramore | The Joy Formidable | The Bravery | Ok Go | Christina Perri

Most people would consider that list to be the coolest music festival line-up in history. But it's soooo not the kind of music I'm normally drawn to. And yet, I love it. I love, love, love the songs and I'm starting to venture out and listen to more by these artists. That's something I never would have done without Twilight. 

And if I'm destined to be Twilight girl forever (people still ask me about Dawson's Creek and RENT, I figure I'm just adding to the collection), I'm okay with that:

Comic Con, 2009

Viva Las Vegas!

I've been away from the blog for a while, but for good reason...I was in Las Vegas celebrating my brother's 21st birthday! It's been a tradition in our family that my mom takes each of us kids when we turn 21. This weekend was one such celebration; we've got one more coming up in 2013.

This weekend I was also able to cross something off my 101 list: 74. Visit Las Vegas, NV.

We had an amazing time. Here are a few Instagram photos from our trip (oh, yeah...I got an iPhone for Christmas. I know, I'm soooo 2009 on this, but give me a break. There's probably going to be quite a few Instagram-y photos in the future).

Updates

Since it's a new year, I figured my blog could use a bit of a facelift. Plus, I like the fact that you can see my actual coffee cup I drink from while writing to y'all. What do you think of the updated look?

While I'm updating my blog, I figured I should also give you an update on my 101 list. I made good progress throughout December. Here's what has been completed since the last update:

42. Bake Christmas Cookies - I personally made peanut butter cookies and helped my mom make sugar cookies.

46. Get a Food Processor - This item was actually completed for me, thanks to my little brother, who bought me a four-cup processor for Christmas. (He's going to be 21 on Saturday; I probably can't call him "little" for much longer, can I?).

47. Bake & Decorate Cupcakes - I made funfetti cupcakes with sprinkles and gingerbread flags for my holiday party.

Cupcakes, Cake Pops, and Cookies for my "Favorite Things" Holiday Party

79. Host a Holiday Party - I opted for a "Favorite Things" themed party (you may have seen this floating around Pinterest). Each guest was asked to pick one of their favorite things valued at or under $5.00. They then brought four of that item to the party (so no one spent more than $20). Each person put their name into a box four times and drew out four more names, making sure to not get their own or the same name twice. Then they gave their "favorite thing" to those four people. Everyone went home with four small gifts! It was a huge hit, and I plan on making it an annual holiday tradition.

The "Favorite Things" Stash

90. Write my husband a love letter - I gave this to him in the middle of December.

97. Compliment a stranger - I forgot to mention this one in my last update. At my husband's work party, there was a woman there wearing the most ADORABLE shoes (which, sadly, I did not get a chance to sneak a photo of...my old camera phone was weak sauce and it wouldn't have turned out...). I saw her a few tables over and actually got up and went to tell her how much I loved her shoes.

And, a few in process tasks:

17. Watch 26 movies I've never seen starting with each letter of the alphabet (11/26) - I recently watched "E" - Empire Records Remix: Special Fan Edition, and "W" - Winnie the Pooh (the 2011 version). Even though I've seen Empire Records before, the Remix version is not the original movie. Trust me; I'm a die-hard classic Empire fan. For a good four solid years of my life, I was convinced I would have quarters glued to my floor. And while it was cool to see new scenes added in, it was not cool the way they changed/omitted some lines (how can Rex Manning not say "Why don't you all just fade away?"?!?!?! Stupid, stupid remix....). Winnie the Pooh was absolutely delightful.

43. Eat at five new restaurants and write reviews (3/5).

Here are my first three reviews:

Meritage at Callaway Winery (A-)

I went here for lunch on a Wednesday afternoon with a friend of mine visiting from Northern California. The vibe at Meritage is what you'd expect from a winery restaurant, rusticity mixed with just a dash of pretention but a heap of SoCal charm. The servers were all warm and polite, and the service was relatively quick. We were offered wine pairing suggestions and also a tasting menu, but having just come from the tasting room, we declined. The bread was an earthy whole grain bread with two delicious spreads (my favorite being the garlic pesto). The lunch portions were quite large; I enjoyed a steaming bowl of seafood pasta, served with clams and mussells in shell. Usually when I order a dish like this, I expect a large bowl of spaghetti with three or four clams. This dish, however, was the opposite -- the (very garlicy) pasta was minor in comparisson to the heaps of shellfish (I lost count after I'd devoured 20). My friend ordered the grilled cheese and salad greens with white anchovies, which was also a large plate of food. Since we had more wine tasting ahead of us, we passed on dessert. The only reason this restaurant is getting an A- from me is because we had to wait quite a bit for our check to be worked out, since they forgot my wine club discount and needed the chef (?!) to fix the bill up front.

Website: Callaway's Meritage Restaurant
Hours: Lunch Daily 11am-4pm; Dinner Friday-Sunday 5pm-9pm

Soro's in Old Town Temecula (B)

The day after dining at Meritage, another friend from Northern California came into town. We went to Old Town Temecula to do some shopping and decided to just pick a restaurant when we arrived. We settled on Soro's Mediterranean Grill. We opted to eat inside, since this was the one day that SoCal decided it was actually the month of December and the patio didn't seem enjoyable. I was struck by two things upon walking into the restaurant: the decor (a bit 80s, but very impressive murals) and how tiny the room was. Still, the service was pleasant and the menu was quite diverse. I opted for a pita pizza, and my friend got a sandwich. All in all, the food was fine. The service was fine. We had a nice lunch. But there was nothing remarkable or special about the meal; basically, it was one step up from your average chain restaurant. It could have been because of what we ordered; I don't know if they have a specialty we missed. Still, it's a great lunch option, especially if you're out shopping in the area, but I wouldn't make a special trip.

Website: Soro's Mediterranean Grill
Hours: Lunch & Dinner Sun-Thur 11am-8pm; Fri-Sat 11am-10pm; Breakfast Sat-Sun 8am-12pm

The Edge in Old Town Temecula (A+)

As a special holiday/new year's dinner, my husband and I went to The Edge with my father-in-law. Our initial intention was to go to Meritage, but we forgot that they're not open for dinner during the week! The Edge is in a gorgeous building in Old Town. Upon approaching, we took a look at the menu outside. The first words out of my husband's mouth were "Well, they seem pretty proud of their food." (My dinner, a piece of grilled salmon on top of a small bed of herb risotto, was $34). The first words out of my husband's mouth once we finished the meal were "Okay, I guess they have good reason to seem proud of their food." The meal was impeccible. We began with drinks from the bar - a pint of amber lager (Fat Tire), a glass of white merlot (from a local winery), and an electric lemonade (which, I was told, was "the perfect shade of blue") and an artisan cheese plate. One of the joys of dining in wine country is that cheese plates are actually quite good. This one came with walnuts, pecans, pistachios, crackers, cookies, berries, and four amazing cheeses. For dinner, we ordered the vegetable pasta (complete with homemade noodles), the salmon, and a "prime flat iron" steak. All of the food was prepared very well. My father-in-law specifically commented on how nice it was to get an honest medium-rare steak that was still hot all the way through. For dessert we had "The Hot Fudge" (an upscale twist on a hot fudge sundae, with dark chocolate torte and vanilla bean gelato), banana and chocolate cheesecake, and Bailey's cheesecake. After the meal, they presented us with housemade dark chocolate truffles which were so good, I'd go back there to eat again just to get the truffles at the end of the meal. All in all, exceptional food + exceptional service = worth the higher price tag.

Website: The Edge Restaurant and Lounge
Hours:  M-Th 5pm-2am; F 11am-2am; Sat-Sun 9am-2am

That's it for now! A few of the items on my list (visit Las Vegas, complete a half marathon) are coming up later this month. Some of the others are longer journeys, but I've started working on/towards them!