Fascinating Question, Fun Game

I was just lamenting, in email, the ways in which my life is not analogous to Mimi Thorisson's. I've been vaguely obsessed by the idea of going to one of her cooking weeks in Medoc, for years. There's one that's all about drinking wine - no joke. She doesn't even try to make it seem "pairing-oriented", just about getting one's wine-on at 10am. I appreciate her honesty.

She's also 40-something with 8-ish kids (many of which she's birthed), 100 dogs and a kitchen with a massive hearth. She looks twenty-something with the figure of a sexy elf and her house has bones, people. Like, it saw action in the second world war and the first world war and the revolution.

Effectively, I read her cookbook when I want to feel bad about being me, I mean, be aspirational.

So my smart friend, replied to my envy-laden email, with something to the effect that I don't like children, I don't like taking care of anything living, I don't like to leave the house in bad weather (and let's face it, Medoc ain't known for its sun) and I can't stand having my photo posted unless I'm in control / may choose from 100 versions of my profile, but then I'm also too lazy to go through this process.

And I was like, OMG. That is beyond true. Even if that woman is living the dream (her husband is Icelandic in a hot way), she has to deal with more children and dogs - even if she has lots of help - than I could possibly get with. Even more than you could get with. Be real. Can you imagine how many creatures are touching the walls in that chalet?!? I'd be losing my shit.

Then my friend asked me to consider, if I could twitch my nose and have all the money I would ever need and more, how would I actually change my life. That's a strangely fascinating question. And it's not that hard to answer.

Here's what I came up with:

• I'd quit my job. Not because I don't love many aspects of my career (and I do) - and not because I don't love having a job to go to, with so many amazing friends and colleagues - but it's a vortex of stress by anyone's standards and it's probably the most implicated factor in my pain condition challenges.

• I'd buy a couple of apartments out of Toronto - one as a base in Europe, the warm and sunny part, one in Mtl. I'd have them renovated perfectly but I'd have money to throw at those renos. I'd have people for that shit! Of course, I would keep my TO home. There are few more fab places to live between June and October than Toronto.

• I'd give fun gifts to everyone I know or to people I hear about who need some TLC. You tired? Have a week in Barbados. Wanna see Easter Island before you die? Check. Is there a cashmere sweater you can't walk away from? No need to. Wanna eat the best meal ever? So do I! Note - I'm adequately selfish to do this on my own terms. Peeps aren't going to bamboozle me.

• I'd give money to all sorts of causes - including chronic pain researchers and those who work to make the world safer for everyone.

• I'd have an entire room dedicated to the best yarn - like my own shop (and I'd give yarn away to those who need it which, let's face it, is everyone!) - and I'd have a super-modern spinning wheel that's utterly chic and I'd have my own alpacas on a farm that sends me the roving and photos of my cute alpacas and when I chose I would visit them.

• I'd have in-home saunas everywhere - the custom kind.

• I'd have a housekeeper and chef and body work therapist of choice, onsite at whenever I need them, but they wouldn't be in my space or cause me anxiety. (I'm pretty sure you can buy this, somehow.)

• I'd go to health spas whenever I felt like it. The kind in Germany that double as fancy spas.

• I'd have a good wine cellar. I'd fully give into my snobisme du vin. There would only be "weekend" wine. (Hell, there's only weekend wine now. This is a no-brainer.)

• I'd travel first class. Everywhere. Not business class. Not private plane. I want first class and I regret to tell you that it's because I'm so small-minded that I LOVE to be the first on and the first off and to be sure that there are no double-bookings of my seat and to have access to the washroom that 800 people with a cold aren't also eligible to use. And to have glasses and dishware that isn't plastic. And to be able to use the fancy lounge at the international airports. And to get ice cream mid-flight. OMG - and I'd book the first 3 rows of non-first class so that I'd be sure no babies would be allowed anywhere near me. (And then I'd give the seats away to those who had been overbooked on the flight - as long as they don't have small kids. Sorry people with babies on a plane. I'm not your friend. But if you want a good bottle of wine...)

• I'd start a couple of "foundations" aka Kristin-funded projects that are enjoyable and that improve the world (IMO): One would be a bra-fitting and sourcing outfit (pun intended) where those who need gorgeous bras but can't afford them could go to learn more about fit, and/or gain access to good products. I'd have one rule - everyone gets matching sets and I would ensure that my fave vendors got tons of press (Broad, I'm looking at you.) The other would be a medical cannabis network wherein I could use my years of experience (and I'm not overstating it when I say that I know more about this topic than just about anyone else I've ever met), both cannabis- and pain-related, to give people actual, discrete and detailed info that may improve their lives. Cannabis doctors are a bizarrely uninformed lot and I am a bizarrely data-oriented pain-haver. I've got charts.

• I'd run knitting retreats for people with chronic pain, teaching them how to knit ergonomically and with a yogic/meditative philosophy. There would be sheep on hand (but in a barn!). There would also be indoor pets (that are perfectly clean at all times) for people to cozy up next to that would be walked magically, and not by me.

But never mind me. I'd love to know what you would do to change your current life if, all of a sudden, you were financially all set. You get to choose! No rules! Please come up with some fun tales because I'm in the mood to imagine.

"My Style In One Picture" Challenge*

* Devised by the queen of interiors herself, Alek aka the girl From the Right Bank, this is a fun - and surprisingly difficult - little game.

The gist of it is that I find one photo that sums up every element of design I love. But what's a girl to do when she loves so much?? I'm, like, polyamorous with the rooms!

So here's what I've come up with. But I want you to know I'll cheat with the next mid-century couch or leopard print rug that catches my eye. Cuz that's just the kind of girl I am.

Photo courtesy of Apartment Therapy Home Tour

What gets me off:

• I am transfixed by natural light and beautiful exteriors/views that complete an interior space.
• The interior lighting is inviting and sexy.
• The fireplace is FANTASTIC. How I covet it. Let me count the logs.
  
• The floors - warm but spare - really inspire me.
• I love all the mid-century design elements in the architecture and furniture. How wonderful to see a space whose bones match its window dressing.
• I'm attracted to sparseness that manages to be a) adult b) sensual and c) warm - in tone and in attitude.
• Can you imagine the key parties that would have happened in this San Diego gem 45 years ago?? :-) And the tripping on acid 35 years ago? And the nouvelle cuisine that would have happened 25 years ago?? Gotta love a home that piques the imagination.
  

K Q/A

Oooh, here I am, once again responding to the last tag in - not that the others aren't totally on my appreciation and respond radar screen. But ya gotta love questions... (And it's a great Friday kind of thing.) Thank you From the Right Bank to the Left Coast, for tagging me - and for your lovely interiors blog.

Here are the guidelines:

1. Respond and rework. Answer the questions on your blog, replace one question you dislike with a question of your own invention; add a question of your own.

2. Tag eight other un-tagged people.

What is your current obsession? Blogging

Good fika place? (That would be coffee to us non-Swedes) Pantry or Ella's Uncle

Do you nap a lot? Are you joking?

Who was the last person you hugged? My daughter

What’s for dinner? Hate to admit it was Amy's Macaroni and Cheese (organic counts, right?)

What was the last thing you bought? An apricot peanut bar for M's after-school snack

What are you listening to right now? My husband, mouth breathing (he has a cold)

What is your favourite weather? Oh, I love sunny and 20 degrees celsius

What’s on your bedside table? A lamp and some books I should be reading

Say something to the person/s who tagged you. Hey Right Bank, you seem to be living a very exciting, stylish life!

If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be? This question is ridiculous impossible. I'll go with NYC.

Favourite vacation spot? Montreal or Quebec City - but this question is pretty impossible too

Name the things you can’t live without. I'm not including people, natch: coffee, beautiful food, wine, music, sun glasses, regular glasses, hand cream, purse, matching lingerie that fits perfectly, damn the cost, my laptop - there are so many things!!!

What would you like to have in your hands right now? An Eames chair with cowhide upholstery, for example, or a macaroon from Laudree

What is your favourite tea flavour? Not so fussed about any flavour

What would you like to get rid of? All the unnecessary clutter in my environment, my tendency to worry

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? An hour isn't really long enough :-) Probably Paris

What did you want to become as a child? A wealthy matron (a chic one who throws perfect parties)

What do you like better, e-mail or telephone calls? Each has its benefits but I love the phone in the day and email the rest of the time

What are you currently reading? Who reads books, really?!

What's your favourite brand of jeans? I can go in many directions, but right now my Superfines

What designer piece of clothing would you most like to own (new or vintage)? Why did I make up this question, I totally cannot decide. Maybe a Claire McCardell day dress?

I tag Sal, Miss C, WendyB, Tessa, Bel, Maegan, Tanya, Yulanda. And of course, anyone else who'd like to chime in...

I Feel So B'Loved!

Today, as I was leaving the house to get to work (following a lovely long weekend visiting with my mother), I was struck - as I always am under these circumstances - by how truly suboptimal the whole "global" thing can be.

I was doing quite well, saying good-bye to my mum, putting a good face on seeing her 2-3 times a year for a few days, when my child really brought it all home. M was inconsolable at the thought of her grammy (whom she sees so infrequently and with such joyful fanfare) leaving practically moments after her arrival. It reminded me of my own profound depression and feelings of loss when, as a child who always lived far from family, my grandparents would visit and leave in largely the same scenario.

Joy and sadness really are so linked.

But how, you may wonder, does this segue into a post about happiness and blog friendship? Well, corollaries really are the name of the game here. The global expansion that sees my family living 1000 miles away is the same one that facilitates my camaraderie with all of you. And that's a big fucking deal as far as I'm concerned!

In the last week I've been particularly fortunate to receive a whole bunch of love tags from many of you. I am so grateful for these:

I Love Your Blog:


This was given to me by my fave expat sistah, Miss C and my fave New Zealander, Andrea of A Cat of Impossible Colour.

Now I get to pass this along to seven of my fave blogs! (I know this one's been floating for a while so, if you've been double tagged by me, just consider yourself that much more loved. I sure do!)

Yulanda's little thoughts has some big photos. And by big I mean incredibly beautiful.


Cheap Jap, one of my newer reads, is incisive and it has a lot of nerve. It's also very sound on shopping principles.


La Belette Rouge writes courageously about difficult things and difficult times. I'm so pleased to have discovered this fantastic blog.


Already pretty Sal is a great, straight-shooting writer and the kind of girl, I know, would help me out of any jam. She turned me onto Cheap Jap. So she's very on the pulse.


Please Sir does all the interiors so chicly! I look forward to her antique finds and beautiful ideas each day.


Monkey Muck, creation of the illustrious Dr. Monkey Von Monkerstein (it's his real name), is a fantastic window onto smart American politics read by smart Americans (and other nationalities!)


Skye, from Skylark and Son, is a take-no-prisoners adventurer in all ways. Can't wait to see how her new life unfolds over the next few weeks.


Beautiful Blogger Award:

Now this one is a fab award to receive, not only because it's such an adorable photo and terrific sentiment, but because it was started by Hammie, a truly fantastic writer, advocate, mother, stylista and all around super being.

Having talked up this award's originator, I must also tell you how thrilled I am to have been tagged by FashionAbility, my window onto the very mysterious South Africa and a creative force who finds some of the most evocative photos from the past I've ever seen. I always look forward to her new posts. When she stopped blogging for a while earlier this year, I was sooooo upset!


The rules for this one are:

1. The nominated person can put the picture on their blog.
2. Share the love and link back to both the person who awarded you and back to the person who founded the award, Hammie'sblog.
3. Give it to two bloggers and link to them.
4. Leave a message on those people's blogs to make them aware that they're nominated.
5. You are free to pass it on again, when you are "inspired" by a beautiful post or a beautiful blog.

Enc of observationmode, unsurprisingly, is one of my two inspirational recipients. I have been reading her blog for months, I love her way of expressing herself, her populism, her great shoe choices, her shopping integrity. So here's to you E!


Matt aka Imelda, Despotic Queen of Shoes, is insane in the most excellent way! He tells it like he sees it, sees a lot of things and isn't afraid to take a chance. And he likes zebra print...


I ♥ This Blog (Not to be confused with I Love Your Blog - above)


Seeker is a sensitive, poetic soul with an eye for the colour and great shapes that suit her super figure! Thanks to her for considering me when handing out this award.

Here are the rules for this one...

1. The nominated is allowed to put the picture on his/her blog.
2. Link to the person who awarded you.
3. Nominate seven other people and link to them.
4. Leave a message on those people's blog to make them aware that they're nominated.

Editor, of Into Construction, blows my mind with challenging questions and great ensembles.

The Clothes Horse, now the travelling clothes horse, makes stylishly jumping from place to place seem easy.

WendyB, new aunt and gorgeous philanthropist, also designs some fairly great jewels and writes about history like nobody's business!

Mahalo Fashion gives great celeb photos with commentary. And Jen comes up with the longest posts I've ever seen. Like, as long as this one :-)

One of the joys of blogging, is learning about new sites. One of my new faves is Make, Do and Mend. I feel like I'm in fashion school :-)

And speaking of new, have you check out C'est Si Belle? It's Songy's new offering and it's picturey delight.

I always like to acknowledge the tried and true, and Fructzwerg's Island is a terrific blog showcasing gorgeous German style.

11 Little Things Meme:

Enc, my favourite thinker who acts on her thoughts, tagged me with this super fun meme. After much consideration, here are my 11:

1. Clothes Shop: Impossible to choose though I love Club Monaco

2. Furniture Shop: Man, this is a challenging game! Also can't choose but I'll go with Style Garage

3. Sweet: OK, obviously not a meme for the indecisive amongst us. I'm gonna say coffee ice cream but that is so not the only one, it's not funny.


4. City: Montreal


5. Drink: Perrier


6. Music: Young & Sexy


7. TV Series: This Hour Has 22 Minutes


8. Film: I see about 2 movies a year, and I'm embarrassed to say that film just doesn't stick in my mind... The last film I saw was Penelope (on video).


9. Workout: Yoga


10. Pastries: Clafouti or anything with a custard base


11. Coffee: Short, dry, extrahot, double shot cappuccino

I wanna know about the preferences of anyone who wants to tell me. Seriously, try it. This one is fun to do...

Quirks Meme:


And, finalement (phew), Songy, a woman who speaks 3 languages and wears sneakers like they're Manolo's, has tagged me to learn about my quirks :-):

1. Link back to the person who tagged you
2. Mention the rules on your blog
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours
4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking to them
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged bloggers blogs letting them know they've been tagged
6. You can now display this charming dalek image i created when tagged!

It is a charming image!

OK,

1. When I get stressed, I sweep the floor.

2. I can sing pretty well.

3. I can't stand things when they are askew. That means, if magazines or trivets or anything (really) is on a wonky angle, I cannot relax until I straighten it out. (Or sweep.)

4. I love fresh flowers and try to have at least 3 vases of them in my house at all times.

5. I always match my underwear and it's always gorgeous.

6. I will talk to anyone, anywhere. I am truly NOT shy.

I'd love to know a few quirky details about Lavender & Yolk, SisterW at Goddamit I'm Mad, Etoilee8 at So Much to Come, Nadine at Strawberry Kitten, Super Kawaii Mama and Jill at Couture Salope.

Now I need to lie down :-)

I Feel So International

It's not every day that 2 fantastic bloggers - one American, the other Australian, give you a Portuguese blogging award, so I have to say "YeeHaw! Obrigado, mates" :-) (Though I do realize, y'all don't say yeehaw in Minneapolis.) You are both so sweet to think of me...

Technically, and with the help of translation software (thanks, Skye and Sal), here's how this deliciously idiosyncratic one works:

They all are charmed with the blogs, where in the majority of its aims are to show the marvels and to do friendship; there are persons who are not interested when we give them a prize and then they help to cut these bows; do we want that they are cut or that they propagate? Then let's try to give more attention to them! So with this prize we must deliver it to 8 bloggers that in turn must make the same thing and put this text.

AND

One is a charming blogger who aims to entertain, amuse other and be friendly in the process. Some horrors out there will receive this and cut it asunder not caring to forward and share the friendship.

Which means, 8 fine bloggers are to be mentioned by me, receive this lovely award and pass it on, should they choose to do so.

I'm trying to broaden my blog-scope so I thought I'd give this to some new reads that are appealing:

A Cat of Impossible Colour
Couture Carrie
Fashion for Nerds
Always In Style

The previously mentioned new Aussie finds:

Esme and the laneway
Style Discovery

And two blogs I learned about from comments on my recent Aussie Blogger post:

Lavender & Yolk
Qin at the Disco

Tell Me There Isn't A Limit!

Sincere thanks to one of my favourite bloggers, Hammie from HammiesBlog, who has given me this great award. Needless to say, she doesn't know what gold covered plastic does to me! :-)

Hammie is both a supermom and a beloved advocate for "auties" (those on the spectrum of autism). I have learned so much - and been so entertained - in the brief time I've been reading her blog. You should definitely add her to your daily reading now.

So, I am to forward this honour on to 5 bloggers - 4 that I know, and one that's new to me.

Here goes...

Enc really needs to go shopping now!
Diana at Please Sir can spend on home furnishings...
The newly returned Bronwyn from FashionAbility might need some end of winter items.
Diana from Hot Chocolate and Mint deserves a million bucks for her genuine and unique style!

And, to the super stylin' Thom from The Sunday Best - my new great find!

Tag, You're It

It seems, no sooner did I invoke the term "Premio Award" that I was tagged with it! How fantastic. Thank you so much, most excellent kpriss of Stylefrizz, for passing this along to me.

So here are the guidelines (I'm so over calling them rules!):

1) Link to the blogger you received it from.

2) Give it to 7 blogs.

3) Link to those 7 blogs.

4) Leave those seven bloggers a comment about receiving the award.

As so many blogs have received this already, I've opted to highlight some sites that I'm still getting to know. Apologies for any duplication - but, I say you, can't be tagged too many times with an award acknowledging your great site...

No Signposts in the Sea
Lady Melbourne
The Vintage Society

And here are a couple of perennial faves:

Curella Says
Godammit, I'm Mad!
little thoughts.

I'll leave the 7th spot available to any brilliant new blogger who's looking for some love. Just let me know...

Easy as (Page) 1 2 3

Enc tagged me ages ago to do this fascinating game...

Here's how it works:

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

It took me a while do do it because reading books hasn't been top on the list lately... Ah, literacy!

So, my book is Lust in Translation: Infidelity from Tokyo to Tennessee by Pamela Druckerman.

Here are the sentences:

About a year after beginning the affair with Danielle, he finally left the therapist he'd been seeing for six years. "I solved the problems," he explains. "The problems were marriage and sex."

See how adultery can save you some cash :-)

I'd be intrigued to see what the following bloggers may come up with:

Imelda Matt
Super Kawaii Mama
Strawberry Kitten
The Coveted

and anyone else who wants to have a go...

Got My Game On - One

So Tavi, fashion sweetie that she is, tagged me to do this fun game that's been going around...

For starters, here are the rules:

List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they're not any good, but they must be songs you're really enjoying now, shaping your summer. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they're listening to.

The Songs (they're more about the vibe than the cred):

F**k and Run (by everyone's fave fin-de-siecle feminist misfit, Liz Phair) She was badass in her day.

A Trick of the Tail (Genesis) My husband terms this (scarily) "progrocklite". And he was there so he should know.

You Belong to Me (either Carly Simon OR Michael McDonald - you know, that really old guy from the Doobie Brothers in the 70's). I've always wondered who penned the song, because both renditions are totally excellent and each artist really seems to own it. Thanks to wikipedia for advising that they actually co-wrote it!

It's Different for Girls (Joe Jackson) All out proto-new wave. Is that Elvis Costello singing backup??

You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb (Spoon) Believe it or not, my (then 4-year old) kid turned me onto this band a few years ago.

Angie Baby (Helen Reddy) DO NOT LAUGH (if you're even old enough to remember who this woman is). So what if I danced to her variety show in my night gown tied at the side with a rubber band in 197_? She was pretty and I got to stay up late. Anyway, just give this song a chance. It's almost disco and the words are whack. Seriously. Imelda, can you pls. corroborate??

Great DJ (The Ting Tings) So good to rock out to when you get out of the shower.

The Tagees:

I'm so late to the game here that I'm fairly certain everyone has done this already. And between the post-vacation stress and the many posts I read daily, I can't exactly remember if my blog friends below have taken up the challenge:

Miss White
Sister Wolf
Imelda Matt
Dreamecho
Fruchtzwerg
Yulanda
Terren

Of course, every reader has a tacit invitation to participate, should (s)he so choose!

In a Perfect World: What I would Wear Today

Thank you, lovely and creative Cordelia, for tagging me to do this fun game.

The Rules:

1. Choose runway pictures from ANY season you like and choose 3 outfits for Day, Evening & Party.
2. Briefly explain why and state the name of the designer & which season the outfit is from.
3. Tag 3 other bloggers once you are done and let them know by posting a comment on their blog.

Pls. note: I choose to interpret C's guidelines in a perfect world scenario i.e., one in which I have no particular practical wardrobe requirements. In fact, on the day on which I would choose to wear these items, I'd be on high-style holiday in New York!

Day Look

For shopping at Barney's and Henri Bendel, I will need to seem as if I can afford all they have to offer! So I would wear this gorgeous Dior tulip day dress. (Regrettably, I can't remember what season this is from...)

(Early) Evening Look

For evening, at some fabulous NY restaurant recommended by WendyB, I would wear this Celine (Resort 2008) dress. It's slick but tasteful. Like I could be the wife or the girlfriend:

Now to Party, I would change into something like this:

Outfit Credits (seasons unknown, sorry): Jacket - Night by Day Birger et Mikkelsen, Shoes - Top Shop, Bag - Alloy, Jeans - Abercrombie and Fitch, Erin Skinny, Top - Rick Owens Lilies Cap Sleeve

I'm a casual party-goer. I want to wander the streets and see what grabs me. One of my many fantasies concerns me walking into a house party and pretending I'm friends of a friend when I actually don't know a living soul. Idea is to see if I can fly by my wits. This is my brand of adventure. And girl's gotta be able to run, under those circumstances!

(PS - Sorry for the crappy Polyvore design. This is my first time attempting it and there's more to it than you might imagine...)

Tags

I think everyone should take a stab at this game. It's fun, fashionable and FREE!

Specifically, I have to tag my go-to fave Enc of observationmode. Spend money mentally, E.

I'd also like to see what Tavi, the sassiest, coolest Style Rookie ever (sorry if this word isn't in vogue anymore, Tavi!) to show us what she likes.

(Not so) secretly, I'd be blown away to see what Queen Michelle at Kingdom of Style would choose to wear. Sure, she's superblogsuperstar with mega street cred, but it can't hurt to tag.

Quirkalicious

Thank you fabulous blog chums Enc (observationmode) and Bronwyn (FashionAbility) for tagging me to do the 6-Quirk Meme. I thought I had all the quirks down till I started reading about the intriguing, amusing, appealing foibles of other bloggers. Such a vast landscape!

So, in accordance with the rules:

1. Link the person(s) who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules in your blog.
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them.
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger's blogs letting them know they've been tagged.

…here goes.

• I cannot stand to listen to people breathing when they sleep – loved ones, adorable children, slothful pets – it matters not. That whistle-y sound makes me homocidal. Don’t even get me started on snoring.
  
• I LOVE butter – to the extent that bread is merely a vehicle for ingesting it. (I suppose it’s also quirky that I really don’t like bread…)
  
• On the topic of food quirks, I used to have a sugarless gum problem – going through packs a day i.e. chain chewing - until I came to terms with the fact (not that I didn’t know this and ignore it for years) that it’s as bad for you as diet cola (which I hate, btw).
  
• I am a born hostess: At work, I’m that girl who orients the new person – even if I’ve only been on board for a week and everyone else knows 10X more than me. At a picnic, I’m the one who assists the organizer. If you’re lost on the street, I’m likely to walk you to your destination to make sure that you get there without incident.
  
• While I read every fashion mag in the known universe, and feel not the slightest bit of envy or concern that I have neither the body nor the budget to wear most of what I see, I cannot bear to pick up the interior design analogue. The minute I do I feel beyond inferior and it truly depresses me.
  
• I’m a whacky combo of luddite and futurist: I don’t have a cell phone, car or cable TV but I live in a house with 6 laptops, numerous PDAs and I was the first person I know to get an iPod. I’m also a member of the Nielsen Media Research “family” – you know, the organization whose TV popularity rating is widely adopted in the media industry. (Strangely, we were demographically sourced on the basis that we don’t have cable but that we – at that time - had a child under the age of 6. “Random source” is likely a misnomer since we’re, in my estimation, one of 3 families in downtown TO with a young child and no cable.)

Hmmm, who to tag, as I know many have already done this fun meme. I’d like to know more about the crazy qualities of:

Jill @ Couture Salope
Fruchtzwerg @ Fruchtzwerg’s Island
Yulanda @ little thoughts.
Regine @ Devote
Ms. White @ White Writing
Romny @ The 16 Diaries

And of course, anyone else who’d like to do it…

More Fun and Games

So, as mentioned recently, I was tagged by our fashionable newlywed Enc of observationmode. The formidable task is to share some detail about me by giving 8 answers within each category heading. Then, natch, I send this out to others in the hopes they'll do the same...

Let me start with my own tagees - some bloggers I've recently discovered. I realize that I should name 8, but many I would have tagged have already been tagged by someone else...
Etoileee at So much to come
S at I Want A Lux Life
Yulanda at little thoughts
Nadine at Strawberry Kitten

Other fellow bloggers, if you feel motivated to do this, please be my guest.

And now for some answers...

8 Things I am Passionate About (in no particular order)

Writing
Yoga
Fashion
Sex and Food (Appetite)
Getting a bargain
Shopping kismet
Taking care of my health
Individualism and one's right to express it

8 Things I Want To Do Before I Die

Live in Montreal
Speak french absolutely fluently
Travel regularly in high-style in Europe (aks Go back to Villa Serbelloni, which looked exactly like this 20 years ago, fyi)
Travel to all the other places in the world I want to go to that I haven't seen yet (too many to mention)
Get rich enough to give most of my money away and still live well
Write a book that gets published
Work on some initiative that will have meaningful benefit to the world - even if it only touches a few people
Live to see the re-stabilization of the ecosystem

8 Things I Say (Too?) Often

Fabulous!
The thing is...
Are you high on drugs?
I heart analogue
Mummy needs a glass of wine
Don't touch the walls!
It would be so great if you'd rub my feet
________ plus (pron. ploose, a la francaise)

8 Books I Have Read Lately
(Note: I used to read a book a week. Now I blog.)

Good Calories, Bad Calories (Gary Taubes)
Yoga Anatomy (Leslie Kaminoff)
The Little Black Book of Style (Nina Garcia)
On Beauty (Zadie Smith)
Tipping the Velvet (Sarah Waters)
Moon Palace (Paul Auster) - Easily my 3rd read of this one...
It's Vintage Darling! (Christa Weil)
Dead Famous (Ben Elton)

8 Songs I Could Listen To Over and Over
(This is just my most recent batch of faves, of course... I'm going with mellow/moody in this mix)

Lessons in Survival (or practically anything from For the Roses - Joni Mitchell. I've had this woman on repeat for 20 years.)
Crowd Surf Off A Cliff (Emily Haines & Soft Skeleton)
Landed (Ben Folds)
Les oreillons (Tricot Machine)
Jesus, etc. (Wilco)
Please Hold My Hand (Kinnie Starr)
Bloodstream (Stateless)
The Moment I Said It (Imogen Heap)

8 Things That Attract Me to My Best Friends

Intelligence
Chemistry
Sense of Humour
Self-reflexiveness
Kindness
Nerviness
Reliability
Educated perspective and willingness to debate

So that's me. Can't wait to hear about more of you.

My Next Career

The most disappointing thing about early adulthood, for me, was not having enough confidence in myself to pursue my crazy, creative goals. (Quick FYI: Some careers I think would have been a good fit: pastry chef, features editor at a fashion magazine, graphic designer, stylist and personal shopper.) A propos of this, I did enroll to become a chef - which would have required leaving university for college - but I lost my nerve at the last minute. And I did try to become a writer; it's just that rejection didn't sit well with me. I was a bit of an anxiety-ridden wuss, to be truthful. But I come from a background where security and affluence is prized. And I think it's kind of merciless, really, that the universe / modern educational system require you to choose your path before you even know what makes you tick - before you really know how to say, fuck it, this is what I'm going to pursue.

Having given you the sob story, you should know that I'm a person who still manages to mix the technical with the creative in her career. I lead a fine life which, while not perfect, is a work in progress towards the end-goal of personal satisfaction. I am unimaginably fortunate (and grateful) for all my opportunities.

Nonetheless, there's this little aspirational game I've been known to play with friends called My Next Career. The rules are self-explanatory, you talk about what profession you wish you'd gone into in the first place, or which one you'd like to get into now, and describe a bit about what makes you want to move in that particular direction. I get a lot of mileage out of this, choosing a new (imaginary?) career every 5 minutes. The one I keep coming back to, however, for all-out frivolous pleasure, is the stylist / personal shopper combo.

Ask any of my pals - all of whom have been on the receiving end of this skill - and they'll tell you it's unavoidable. I will dress you up. You will love it. Or tolerate it, anyway. (Thank God I had a daughter! Thank God she loves clothes.)

Saturday was a delicious day, because my friend B - a woman who's always giving to others and less often giving to herself - decided to go shopping and invited me along. She suggested Winners (a good discount chain, to be sure), but I felt she'd be perfect in some vintage, so I convinced her to check out I Miss You and wow, what shopping kismet ensued!

B is a petite, fair, freckled red-head with a beautiful demeanour and a lovely shape. I only wish I could make her dress up in all the things we bought so I could put her pictures on the blog! Some standout items include a fantastic knit dress in deep robin's egg blue with a fantastic v-neck and a fitted waist / flared skirt, an amazing pair of boots from the 70's in burnt orange with a super-slim fitted calf and round/square toe. The heel is stacked but completely walk-able. She walked away with 2 dresses, 2 pairs footwear, belt and a coat for a veritable steal!

For my own part, she let me indulge the stylist fantasy by trying on absolutely everything I put in front of her. (Would that everyone were this easy!) And she totally left her comfort zone in the pursuit of new looks - which managed to make her look more like herself than ever.

All this has got me wondering if others out there are weekend personal shoppers or photographers or fashion designers. Do you have a next career lined up? If so, I'd love to hear.

Fun and Games!

OK, I totally love this. Yesterday I posted about basics, vis a vis a great post I read on Style Bubble (see below). At the end of that post, I suggested that some of the fashionable bloggers I read daily might want to write about what constitutes a basic according to them.

Today, wonder of wonders, Lady has responded to that question with a great follow up about her own wardrobe essentials. And, also game (pun intended) is the delightful Curella, who has decided to turn this little musing into a full-fledged activity.

In brief, Curella has institutionalized the question "what is a basic wardrobe to you" in a fun game of tag. I, Rumi from Fashion Toast and Selina of Flying Saucer are Curella's 3 tags. (Believe it or not, I've never actually visited Flying Saucer, but that's about to change stat.)

As per Curella's rules, I'm to write about what comprises a basic wardrobe for me. I think I've summed that up in yesterday's post here. Then, I'm to tag 3 other bloggers to do the same thing, in the interests of learning more about the personal style of some favourite style sistahs.

Technically, I already tagged Lady to do this yesterday. But worry not, I can easily come up with 50 more people to tag. However, in keeping with the guidelines, I will limit myself to 3 others: my fellow Canadian, Miss Cavendish, Norway's Ladybird, and someone I read frequently (and would like to know more about), the talented Wendy Brandes.

I so hope they take up the challenge so that we can all be enlivened by their excellent style. And, if they do, can't wait to see who they tag.

PS: Lady, if you are reading, feel free to tag 3 of your own faves - if you would like, bien sur.