Weekend Wrap Up: Kitty Kitty Birthday Edition

My friend Alexis has a 300 lb (ish) white cat named Verbena that I like to mock by taking pictures of any kind of white cat I find at Goodwill.  Sometimes I buy them.  This was one of those times.  On Friday night, we celebrated both Alexis & Katie's birthdays at Rumour's East.  Aptly named, Kitty Kitty Birthday, stayed front & center all night.

Katie (birthday girl), Alexis (birthday girl), me & Kitty Kitty Birthday (best $5 purchase EVER).

I had to cut the Friday night festivities short so I could get up early on Saturday for the Yazoo Barely a 4K Beer Run.  This was the year anniversary of the first beer run, so Yazoo made capes for all of us to run in.  The capes were black, red & blue & each color ran a different course, so around 8am on Saturday morning, the entire Gulch/Wedgewood area was populated with runners going in different directions, wearing different colored capes.  It was awesome.

This is me & my caped running partner, Lana.  Turns out, the "barely a 4K" ended up being 2.96 ridiculously hilly miles.  There was one hill in particular that you had to be part mountain goat to run up.  In short, we earned those beers.

ENFL!  This is the majority of the East Nasties at the run.

I was supposed to swim yesterday, but decided I needed a day off.  I didn't do crap & it felt amazing.  I watched Conan O'Brien Can't Stop (so good!) & gave myself this weird Ziggy Stardust manicure.  Then I read for awhile & took a nap, like you do.  I also watched a lot of the Olympics & am now convinced that I'm going to drown in my triathlon.  I dreamt about swimming all night & got up this morning & swam 600 meters.  I didn't drown, but I'm still not as good as I'd like to be this close to the race.  Oh well, c'est la vie.

Book Review: The Pleasure Of My Company

My Review

John & I rarely read each other's books, but last year when I read An Object Of Beauty by Steve Martin, John told me I should read The Pleasure Of My Company, his favorite Steve Martin book.  Well, it took me a year, but I finally read it.  A few thoughts:

• This book is strange, even for Steve Martin.
• The protagonist in this book is cra, literally.  
• That being said, you'll very quickly feel a strong affection for him.
• I laughed a lot in the beginning of this book & was surprised as my eyes welled up with tears at the end.
• The book is so short & I read it so quickly that I don't think I realized how attached I was to the main character until it was over.

My Final Thoughts

I liked this book a lot.  It's quirkier than Steve Martin's other books, but if you're familiar with his style of writing & character development, you'll be fine.  Martin definitely enjoys creating these idiosyncratic characters that live their lives on the fringe of what most of us consider appropriate behavior.  If you like Steve Martin &/or you enjoy books & characters off the beaten path, then I recommend this book.

Friday Links

This week in goat news, a 'goat man' was spotted on a mountain in Utah & no, it was not my husband.  (US News)


I saw an Onion headline once that read, "Entire Facebook Staff Laughs As Man Tightens Privacy Settings".  I'm honestly of the mindset that nothing you do online is ever private, regardless of your "privacy settings", but...  for those of you who still believe, this article has some really good tips:  How to Stay on Facebook and Protect Your Privacy at the Same Time.  (The Daily Beast)

Sometimes I feel like a sub par blogger because I don't have a legit camera & I don't use Photoshop.  This week, Design*Sponge did me a solid by sharing their 10 Favorite Photo Editing Apps.  (Design*Sponge)

As a former resident of Williamsburg, I'm allowed to make fun of it:  J Crew in Williamsburg.  (Fashionista)

My love of Philip Seymour Hoffman is unrivaled, although coming in at a close second is my love of Paul Thomas Anderson.  New movie The Master comes out in November.  (Yewknee)

Weekend Wrap Up: The Blonde Mule Rises Edition

I forgot to take any pictures this weekend.  Probably because I was too busy working out for 1,000 hours.  My triathlon is in 3 weeks, so all I'm doing in my spare time right now is swimming/riding/running.  And eating.  Oh my God, I'm eating so much.

After coaching Potato To Tomato on Saturday, my dad met us at the Y for a much needed swim practice session.  We have no idea what we're doing & are basically just practicing not drowning.  My dad was awesome & the coaching session really helped.  He pointed out that we need to quit working on our "form" (we have no form) & instead work on our endurance.  He said there's no point in perfecting our form if we can't even swim 200 meters.  Touche.  So he made us swim the breast stroke for 200 meters without stopping & told us to keep doing that until it gets easier.  Y'all.  Swimming is HARD!

After running for an hour & then swimming for an hour & a half, we took ourselves to Barista & feasted on fancy coffee & breakfast sandwiches.  Hilariously, I had just missed Dan Auerbach, who was reportedly there with three little kids?!  Whatever, Dan.  You can run, but you can't hide.

Yesterday Jenn & I went to a 90 minute yoga class at Sanctuary in The Gulch.  It was their year anniversary, so all of their classes this weekend were free.  We took Dawn Cunningham's class.  She's my favorite yoga teacher in the world & it was great to be back in her class.

Last night, we met friends for dinner & a movie.  We saw The Dark Knight Rises in IMAX at Opry Mills.  It was so good!  I'm not going to lie, obviously in light of recent events, it was tense, but the movie was amazing, especially in IMAX.  Y'all, Bane is TERRIFYING!

Book Review: Fifty Shades Darker

My Review

About a month ago, I went to DC for work & needed something to read on my Kindle.  Since I had downloaded & read Fifty Shades Of Grey the last time I flew, it only seemed right to continue on with the trilogy.  It makes me feel better about myself that I primarily read these heinous books while in transit, as opposed to curled up in a chair with a glass of wine.  A few thoughts:

• The second book in the trilogy, Fifty Shades Darker, is less intense than the first.  Their relationship is more traditional, at least as far as the "red room of pain" goes.
• In this book, E.L. James takes the inner goddess stuff to a whole new level, a figure skating level, if you will.  There's a whole section of the book where Ana's inner goddess is "doing a triple axel dismount off the uneven bars" & "performs a perfect triple salchow in her ice skates".  I'm not making this up.  THESE ARE ACTUAL QUOTES.
•  There's a suspense subplot in the book that's a) totally unrealistic & b) tedious.  But don't worry, as soon as you think you can't take anymore of it, it goes away.

My Final Thoughts

If you read & hated Fifty Shades Of Grey, I obviously don't recommend continuing on with the trilogy.  But, if, like me, you find yourself needing to read these books out of some misplaced cultural &/or societal obligation, the second book isn't that bad, especially in comparison to the first.

The second book gets going a lot faster & has a little bit more suspense/action/plot than the first book.  For sure, the things that annoyed you in the first book, the eye rolling, the inner goddess, will make you LOSE YOUR MIND in the second book, but it's the nature of the beast.  I mean, there's just no way around it.

I'm on the fence as to whether or not I'll continue on & read the third book in this trilogy.  I am hilariously & embarrassingly somewhat interested in what happens to these characters, but I feel like every time I read another one of these books, my brain melts a little.  We'll see...

Friday Links

{Source}

It's no secret that my husband loves goats & very seriously wants one as a pet.  Earlier this week, he forwarded me this, with the message, "CITYGOAT.  Make sure to see the hay cabinet."  Bless it.

Eli Horowitz, of McSweeney's fame, has created a digital literary app.  Readers will download the app & receive daily doses of fictive oral history.  In addition, & this is the cool part, the geo-tagged "field reports" can only be downloaded when the reader is standing in a specific place.  Check out the trailer with voices from Ira Glass & Miranda July.  More here.

I know a lot of us have a love-hate relationship with Project Runway, but I would be remiss not to point out that the latest season, Season 10, premiered last night on Lifetime.  I haven't watched it yet, but you can see video bios of the new contestants here.

Lastly, I leave you with this.  My friend Sean shared it on FB a week or so ago.  It kind of completes me.  Big Freeda is the Yo MTV Raps version of Bon Qui Qui.  Excuse!

Birchbox Review: June

Per the recommendation of my hair stylist (& friend), Jordan, I signed up for Birchbox.  Haven't heard of Birchbox?  Neither had I.  Birchbox is the creation of Katia Beauchamp & Hayley Barna, who established the company while students at Harvard Business School.  There's a really interesting story in the NY Times about how they got started & how they get the samples.  Read more here.  

From their website:  Birchbox is the best way to discover new grooming, beauty & lifestyle products.  Sample top products from high-end brands, get expert advice, buy new favorites & earn points with every purchase.  It's $10 a month.  Full FAQ here.

I received my first Birchbox last month.  I meant to write about it sooner, but I wanted to use all the products first & the self tanner was holding me up.  I'll talk about that later.  Here is what was in my box for June.

beautyblender | blendercleanser

• Birchbox description:  Keep your makeup sponges & brushes in prime condition with this soy-based formula, which removes built-up bacteria & oil.  Full-size, $17.95
• My review:  Sorry, I haven't used this yet.  I'm horrible about cleaning my brushes.

Comodynes | Self-Tanning Intensive

• Birchbox description:  Who needs the sun with you can get a safe, buildable, & natural-looking tan with these bestselling European towelettes?  Pack of 8, $14.99
• My review:  I was excited to use this product, but it ended up being kind of a disaster.  Each packet contains one towelette that's supposed to cover your whole body.  The first time I used it, I followed the video tutorial, used one towelette & applied it in a circular motion.  It didn't work AT ALL.  Half of me was super tan & half of me was not tan at all (see above).  And it was embarrassingly uneven, especially around my joints.  In the interest of science, I tried it one more time, this time using two towelettes & not applying it in a circular motion, but more of a sweeping motion to ensure better coverage.  The second time was an improvement from the first, but still noticeably uneven.  It pains me to say this, but I do not recommend this product.  Sorry, Birchbox.

Number 4 | Super Comb Prep & Protect

• Birchbox description:  This gorgeous-smelling leave-in treatment detangles & defrizzes with nutrient-rich botanicals, while built-in UV filters keep strands protected.  Full-size, $32
• My review:  I don't think I had ever used a leave-in conditioner prior to this.  I wasn't sure that I needed more conditioner, as I apply it in the shower, but I went ahead & used it.  It smells so good!  And it's not heavy.  I've been using conditioner in the shower & then spraying this on before I blow dry.  I usually use Bumble & Bumble Styling Lotion, but this is way better, especially now that my hair is longer & I'm swimming all the time.  I love it!  I'm buying this one.

theBalm cosmetics | Stainiac in Beauty Queen

• Birchbox description:  We're crazy about this two-in-one lip & cheek stain:  the sheer gel formula delivers a subtle, long-wearing flush.  Full-size, $17
• My review:  I've never used a cheek & lip stain.  It just never made sense to me.  Until now!  Y'all, I love this.  It gives my cheeks the perfect flush without looking like makeup.  As a lip stain, it lasts ALL DAY.  I put it on in the morning & then just sporadically apply a clear gloss throughout the day.  It's still on at night when I clean my face!  Stainiac, you complete me.  I'm buying this one.  It comes in three colors.  I have Beauty Queen.

tili | Bags

• Birchbox description:  Breeze through airport security with these too-cute plastic bags.  They're perfectly sized for storing all your travel essentials (& beauty samples).  Pack of 9-12, $8.49 - $9.49
• My review:  I used this flying to DC recently & it held a lot.  A lot more than my usual generic ziploc bag.  Plus, it's cute & heavy duty.  I don't know that I'll buy more of these, but I'll definitely keep using the one I have.

John Varvatos | Star USA

• Birchbox description:  In honor of Father's Day, we've included this dapper cologne, a blend of ginger, juniper berries, & vetiver.  Pass it on to a lucky guy friend of family member.  Full-size, $55-70
• My review:  John doesn't wear cologne & my friend Heidi had recently told me how her boyfriend LOVES cologne samples, so I passed it along to her.  Heidi, if you're reading, you'll have to leave a comment & tell us how Andy liked it.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I'm really pleased with Birchbox.  The June box was well worth my $10 & I'm buying two of the products.  If you're the least bit interested, I highly recommend it.  You don't "join" or buy a membership; you just pay $10 a month until you don't want to anymore.  

Also, you can give gift subscriptions, which is how my aforementioned friend Jordan found out about it.  Her mom bought her a year subscription for her birthday.  Also, if you have mens who love product, there's a Birchbox for men.  My friend bought a subscription for her husband for Father's Day & she says he loves it - FYI.

Yay, Birchbox!

Weekend Wrap Up: I'll Never Be Dry Again Edition

This weekend was my first attempt at riding at a bike sans braces, or approximately 24 years.  Friday night John pumped up the tires, lowered the seat & crammed that poor bike into the trunk of my 2-door Toyota.  The ease with which he got this bike into my car went unappreciated until I had to accomplish the same feat a mere 12 hours later.  Clearly, there was a Boy Scouts badge for getting a mountain bike into the trunk of a sports sedan.

This is me about to take off on my maiden voyage.  Also of note, this was the last time I was dry for oh, about the next 2 hours.

Well, the good news is, I rode 5 miles.  The bad-ish news is that I rode 5 miles in a monsoon.  But!  I rode 5 miles!  Hooray!  I can ride a bike!

To recap, on Saturday, I got up at 6am, drove to East Nashville, coached Potato To Tomato for an hour, THEN rode my bike for 5 miles in a monsoon.  Yeah, I needed breakfast.  And coffee.  So Heidi & I (& Andy - hi, Andy!) took our soaked selves to Barista Parlor.  I veered from the sausage biscuit & got the breakfast sandwich instead.  I loved it!  You can't lose at this place.  Oh, also, this happened.

I honest to God spent the rest of the day in bed trying to keep warm & fight off impending, inevitable pneumonia.  I finally roused myself for dinner with the Childrey's & the Paulson's next door at Korea House.

On Sunday, Jaime & I ran the 5.8 at Percy Warner.  Later, I took John to Bella Nashville for the first time.  He loved it!  Then we went to the Belcourt to finally see Moonrise Kingdom.  Y'all!  We LOVED this movie!  I'm totally going to see it again.  So good!!!

The Day I Met Dan Auerbach

{source}

I don't know how to act around famous people, which was proven yet again when I ran into Dan Auerbach this morning.  Allow me to set the scene.  Rewind 4 hours.  I'm coaching a Potato To Tomato training run at Shelby Bottoms.  In the rain.  Heidi & I do our first training ride (5 miles).  In the rain.  Then we go to Barista Parlor, soaked from head to toe.

A few weeks ago, Dan Auerbach was at the same place I was for lunch, but I didn't notice him.  So I've spent the past 2-ish weeks rehearsing what I would have said had I seen him.  I honestly didn't think I'd actually ever run into him, but this morning I totes did & when opportunity knocks, you open the fucking door.

So I'm sitting at Barista with Heidi & Andy & we've been there awhile.  We're actually about to leave, but it's a monsoon outside so we're waiting on it to let up, now that we're somewhat dry.  In walks Dan Auerbach.  I don't even know that I saw him so much as some internal signal alerting me to his presence commandeered my muscular system & turned my head in his direction.  At which point, I whisper-shout, "OHMYGODITSDANAUERBACH!"

Having spent the last few weeks rehearsing this very scenario, I spring into action.  I grab my purse, open my wallet & take out one of John's business cards.  I take my empty coffee mug, pretend to put sugar & cream in it & then casually walk past him, back to my seat.  As I pass him, I stop & say, "Hey, I'm Kim & I'm going to do something totally inappropriate & give you my husband's business card.  He's a mastering engineer."

Dan:  Oh, cool, thanks.  (Looks at card)  Oh!  I actually have this guy's card.  He's been in my studio.

Kim:  Yeah, I think he has.  Cool!  Well, who do you guys use for mastering?

Dan:  We use a good friend of ours back in Columbus, Ohio - Brian Lucey at Magic Garden.

Kim:  Of course you do.  10-4.  Well, if you ever need someone local, my husband is awesome.  Thanks!  Love your music!  HUGE fan!

Dan:  Thanks.

Then we leave & I get in the car, see myself & realize how batshit crazy I look.  Also, I had had so much coffee that I was virtually vibrating.  A slow chill makes its way through my body as I realize that Mr. Auerbach & I probably have completely different versions of what just went down.  The scenario described above is how I remember it, but this is probably what actually happened:

Kim:  OMGYOU'REDANAUERBACHHELLOHIHEY!!!

Dan:  Hi....  (DANGER!  DANGER!  Are those snake eyes on her fingers?  What's her sweatshirt say, East Nasty?)

Kim:  ALLCAPSJIBBERISHINHIGHPITCHEDSQUEAL

Dan:  Thank you!  But I already have that card.  (Please don't hurt me.  Did she just fill an empty coffee cup with cream & sugar water?  Should I give her money?  Is she selling one of those papers?)

Kim:  MOREHIGHPITCHEDJIBBERISH

Dan:  Great, thanks!  (Please go away; please go away.)

Kim:  (Crazy awkward, unnatural smile!  ALL TEETH!)

And...  scene.

Dan, if you're reading this, & why wouldn't you be, I'm sorry for scaring you.  I was just excited, over-caffeinated & had been outside in the rain for 3 hours.  I'm usually fairly normal.  And I promise to leave you alone if you do ever hire my husband to master your album, which you should, by the way.

Kisses!

Friday Links

• I'm obsessed with Kim France's blog, Girls Of A Certain Age, & you should be, too!

• Speaking of blogs, Ginger over at Ramble Ramble wrote a thought-provoking post on whether or not personal blogging is changing.  It's worth a gander.

• Oh hey, it's another summer reading list!  This one featuring Nashville bookstore savior, Ann Patchett.

• No.

• Really, YSL?  Really?

• Lastly, if you've been on FB, you've undoubtedly seen this shared by at least 20 of your friends, but IT'S SO FUNNY!

Book Review: Looking For Alaska

 

My Review

After finishing John Green's The Fault In Our Stars, I decided to go ahead & read Looking For Alaska, his previous book.  Looking For Alaska got a little bit of press recently in Tennessee because it was banned in some local schools.  As I was talking to Tiffany about it, she reminded me that she sent it to me last year.  I decided to read it & see what all the hype was about.  A few thoughts:

• I liked Looking For Alaska, but not as much as The Fault In Our Stars.
• I love coming-of-age, boarding school books, but this one fell a little short for me.  Maybe because it's YA?  
• If you're also interested in coming-of-age/boarding schools books, I recommend Donna Tartt's The Secret History.

My Final Thoughts

If I remember correctly, this book was banned because of an oral sex scene.  After I finished the book, I had to really sit down & try to remember what I had read that was worthy of it being banned.  It wasn't until someone reminded me that it was oral sex that I remembered a brief, inconsequential oral sex scene early-ish in the book.  It's not sexy & it's definitely not pornographic.  If anything, it's the 2012 version of two high school girls teaching each other how to French kiss.  John Green has a good take on his book being banned.  He says:

It never even occurred to me that it might be a problem while I was writing it.  I got nervous when the book came close to publication, though.  I have to give full credit to my editor, Julie Strauss-Gabel.  She was absolutely steadfast about refusing to censor the novel, even when I wasn't.  My friend David Levithan once said of gay writers, "We are political novelists who do not wish to be political."  I feel a bit of that when it comes to banning books from classrooms & libraries.  I don't want to have to fight that fight, but I won't shirk the responsibility I feel to my books & my readers.  Teachers have been trained to teach, & they know how to teach, & we need to fight to let them teach uncensored books - whether it's Catcher in the Rye (or Alaska, for that matter) - in an English class or evolution in a biology class.

Well said.  I like John Green.  I like his writing style & I like the characters he creates.  This book didn't do it for me, but I will happily & eagerly read the next book he puts out.  For anyone who's read Looking For Alaska, I highly recommend The Fault In Our Stars.  I think you'll agree that his writing improved in the six years between the two books.

Honey-Glazed Peach Tart

Sometimes I wake up & need to bake.  Sunday was one of those days.  I wanted to make something with peaches, but not something that involved making dough or pie crust.  This honey-glazed peach tart was the answer.  The DELICIOUS answer.

Let's get started.

Remove 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry from the box, set it on a lightly floured surface, & cover with plastic wrap.  Do not unfold at this point.  Let the covered puff pastry sit on the countertop until thawed & just pliable, about 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, mash the brown sugar, butter, & cinnamon together with a fork until blended.

On a lightly floured work surface, carefully unfold the puff pastry.  Dust the top of the dough with a little flour. 

Roll out the dough, lightly dusting with flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin & work surface, into a 14-inch round.  Trim off any ragged edges with the tip of a paring knife.

Drape the dough loosely around the pin & transfer it to the baking sheet. 

Using the tines of a fork, prick the dough all over.

Arrange the peach slices, overlapping slightly, in even circles, leaving a 2-inch border uncovered.

Scatter bits of the butter mixture evenly over the peaches.

Fold the border up & over the outer ring of peaches, pleating the dough as you go, to shape into a circle.

Drizzle the honey over the peaches.

 Bake until the pastry is browned & the peaches are tender & slightly browned on their edges, about 25 minutes.

Transfer the baking sheet to a rack & immediately sprinkle the pistachios evenly over the peaches. 

Serve warm.

This was my first tart.  Fresh, ripe Georgia peaches are all over Tennessee & recipes using them are all over the internet.  I needed in on this action.  I thought about making a peach pie, but all of the recipes intimidated me, so I turned to one of my favorite cookbooks, The Weekend Baker & found just what I was looking for.  John had to help me with the dough, but aside from that, it was pretty easy.  And delicious, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  I'll definitely make this again.

RECIPE

HONEY-GLAZED PEACH TART

Adapted from The Weekend Baker

Makes one 9 1/2-inch tart, or 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, 9 1/2 inches square
2 tbsp firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temp
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large, ripe peaches
2 tbsp honey
1/4 cup finely chopped unsalted pistachios

DIRECTIONS

Remove 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry from the box, set it on a lightly floured surface, & cover with plastic wrap.  Do not unfold at this point.  Wrap the remaining puff pastry sheet in plastic wrap & return to the freezer.  Let the covered puff pastry sit on the countertop until thawed & just pliable, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, position an oven rack on the middle rung.  Heat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line a half sheet pan with parchment or a nonstick liner.  In a small bowl, mash the brown sugar, butter, & cinnamon together with a fork until blended.  Cut the peaches in half & remove the pits.  Thinly slice the halves.

On a lightly floured work surface, carefully unfold the puff pastry.  Dust the top of the dough with a little flour.  Roll out the dough, lightly dusting with flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin & work surface, into a 14-inch round.  Trim off any ragged edges with the tip of a paring knife.  Drape the dough loosely around the pin & transfer it to the baking sheet.  Using the tines of a fork, prick the dough all over.  Arrange the peach slices, overlapping slightly, in even circles, leaving a 2-inch border uncovered.  Scatter bits of the butter mixture evenly over the peaches.  Fold the border up & over the outer ring of peaches, pleating the dough as you go, to shape into a circle.

Drizzle the honey over the peaches.  Bake until the pastry is browned & the peaches are tender & slightly browned on their edges, about 25 minutes.  Transfer the baking sheet to a rack & immediately sprinkle the pistachios evenly over the peaches.  Serve warm.

Weekend Wrap Up: Proud Mary Edition

I have a new obsession:  Barista Parlor.  The above iced coffee & sausage egg biscuit is what I rewarded myself with after coaching Potato To Tomato & swimming for an hour.  The sausage is courtesy of Porter Road Butcher & it will BLOW YOUR MIND.

Our friends Kat & Andy got married on Saturday night.  I was pretty grumpy about an outdoor wedding in July, but the heat was a lot more tolerable than I expected.  Yes, my husband is wearing a bolo tie.  Jealy?

Saturday was also Sarah Allen's 30th birthday.  She was a bridesmaid, so her birthday took a backseat to the wedding.  Until this happened.  Happy birthday, Sarah!

And... the photo shoot continues.  I like to call this, 'Proud Mary does Lebanon'.  You're welcome.

Shockingly, John even agreed to have his picture taken.  And thank god, because in mere days, this picture has become quite the internet sensation.  Looks like the 2012 Baldwin Christmas card made itself this year...

I kind of gave myself the day off yesterday.  I needed a day where I wasn't frantically working in multiple work-outs & trips to Target, Publix, Whole Foods, etc.  So I baked.  I wanted to make a peach pie, but then I remembered I'm scared of pie, so I made this honey-glazed peach tart instead.  It was delicious!  Recipe coming later this week.