Some Great Websites

Even though my favorite type of design and style is modern, mid-century modern, Scandinavian, etc., I also love just about anything with some history behind it. Some people would say that the styles don't mix, but I think you should have things that you love and that mean something to you, rather than buying or not buying something just because it does or doesn't fit into a certain style.

I was excited to find the website for P.O.S.H. Chicago, a company whose founder seeks out tableware from manufacturers, flea markets and wherever else he can find items that have a story to tell.





Another fun site actually belongs to a new coworker of mine at Walter Drake. She was hired about a month ago and last week we found out that she sells her own designs on The Spotted Olive(TM), ranging from t-shirts to mouse pads to holiday cards and much more. I've already found at least 10 things I want to buy!



I've had the CHiA'SSO site in my list for a while now, but I bought my first product from them recently, these fabulous aluminum and steel windmills for my garden. They're one of the first places I've found to offer more modern garden and outdoor products, instead of cute frogs and cherubs and the like, and they also have tons of other great items for your house.



Links to all sites can be found in the Websites list to the left. Enjoy!

Close Encounters of the Political Kind

I'm so excited to have been able to participate in one of the most historic and important elections in my lifetime. No matter what, history would have been made. If McCain and Palin had won, we would have had the first female Vice President. Now that Barack Obama has been elected, we have the first African American President. (As my boss told me yesterday, he'll be sworn in on steps that were built by slaves. What a long way our country has come.) I had never even voted before I met Steven and now I'm adamant about speaking out for what you think, even if it's only to cast a vote for the candidate or amendment or issue that you feel strongly about.

Since we weren't able to see either McCain or Obama when they campaigned in Colorado, we jumped at the chance to hear Michelle Obama speak at an auditorium just a few blocks from our house. (We usually didn't even know the candidates were in town until they had already been here and were gone. We heard about this rally the day before.) About 3,000 people came out, and we wound up being part of the crowd that had to stand outside. Thankfully, Colorado was enjoying one of its last warm, sunny days so it was actually very pleasant. And she stopped outside to see us first! It was funny to see the stereotypical security guys with the curly earpiece, fancy suit and everything. You could spot them a mile away. She was an excellent speaker and didn't use a prewritten speech, something I greatly admired.

A Fascinating Discussion

I found this discussion on one of my favorite websites/blogs the other day and felt that it was something others would appreciate and could benefit from. The dialogue is between the blog author and a fan of hers who is an avid chef but happens to be blind. As many complaints as I have sometimes (my kitchen's too small, my knife isn't sharp enough, the pan I wanted to use isn't clean), they all pale in comparison to the issues this gentleman faces constantly. And he has such a great attitude about it! I hope that if something terrible were to happen to me one day and I lost my eyesight, I would be able to develop the same attitude and not just feel sorry for myself. If you can't click directly on the link, cut and paste it into your browser window, or click on the main website in the list to the left and search for How the Blind Cook.

http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2008/10/how_the_blind_cook.php

Introducing...

...ROXY!

We're finally a dog family again! We were lucky enough to find this sweet little girl on Craigslist (I'm telling you, it's a goldmine!) and have had her for just over a week now. She's the first fawn boxer we've had and I just love how dark she is and the little black tips on her ears, and her cute little 3-inch tail that just barely grazes the ground when she sits down. The family who was currently watching her for a friend couldn't keep her any longer and neither could the friend, so we were able to bring her into our family. The original owner had named her Baby Girl but we changed that to Roxy. She's super smart and has already learned the dog door and is learning how to shake for treats. We've gone on lots of walks around the neighbourhood and in various parks around the area. She already loves to sleep with us on the bed and she loves to cuddle, but she's still young enough (about 18 months) that she doesn't stay in one place for very long. It's been fun to learn her likes, dislikes and habits. She loves riding in the car but not the truck. She loves going for walks. She loves to come stand directly over your head while you're laying in bed. She doesn't like to be told to move once she's found a spot. She loves pig's ear strips! She loves tummy rubs and laying with her back legs sticking straight out. We're so excited to have found such a great dog.




What's not to love about this face? :-)

Emma Crawford Coffin Races

This weekend I went to the Emma Crawford Coffin Races in Manitou Springs to support our Walter Drake team. Here's how the local newspaper describes it:

Emma Crawford lived in Manitou Springs at the turn of the century, arriving with the hopes that the famous drinking Mineral Springs would help with a cure for her tuberculosis. Sadly, in the summer of 1890 Emma died quite young, just before she was to marry Mr. Hildebrand, an engineer on the Pikes Peak Cog Railway. Her wishes were to be laid to rest on top of Red Mountain. Her heartbroken fiancee and eleven other men began the arduous task her carrying Emma's coffin up to the top of Red Mountain. It took them all day, working two shifts to scale the 7200 foot Summit. In 1929, after years of stormy weather on the granite mountain the granite gave way and Emma's remains were washed down the side of Red Mountain. Emma was later buried in the Manitou Springs Cemetery in an unmarked grave. An official grave site was granted to her in 2004 to honor her life. Now every year in late October, Manitou Springs remembers this beautiful young woman who loved her town and her Red Mountain with this unique festival.

Each year there is a parade of the coffins and then they race each other up a section of the main street in town, pushed by 4 "pallbearers" and with an Emma laying in the coffin. My boss and 2 co-workers were part of the team and they spent many hours repainting and revising the coffin they had raced the year before. I'd never been to the race so it was fun to go support someone I knew and to see how many people actually turned out to this somewhat quirky event in the small town just west of Colorado Springs, at the foot of Pike's Peak. Our team completed the 250-yard run in 39.2 seconds, finishing in 16th place out of 49 entries. Not bad!

Design House Stockholm

I've stumbled across a great website, www.designhousestockholm.com, with a plethora of products that I would love to have. I really like their design philosophy, apparently it came from the Quakers! Very simple and to the point, just like their products. Here are a few that I'm lusting after currently.

The Whale Tong


The Shell


The Tablo Tray


Carrie Bicycle Basket
(How can you not love this? It makes me happy just looking at it.)

My New Favorite Product!

Here it is, my new miracle product: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion.  I have never found any trick or any product that keeps my eye shadow and/or liner from creasing half an hour after I put it on. So I eventually resorted to just mascara or some eyeliner when I knew I wouldn't be wearing it for too long. But this stuff really works! I've worn it two different times now and have had absolutely no creasing. Yay! I got mine at Sephora (inside our JCPenney store), but I think most major department stores carry it.

Colorful Colorado

Yesterday Steven had a rare weekend day off and we went for a drive in the mountains to see the leaves changing. We went at just the right time; everything was beautiful! Sometimes we wouldn't see anything for a few miles and then we would turn a corner to find the most amazing display of color. Sadly, there has been a huge problem this past year with a particular (harmful) beetle that likes our ski area evergreens and there are many dead pine trees mixed in. We took an excessive amount of photos as usual, but I'm sharing the best with you. (I also got to get up close and personal with a new friend. :-) If you've ever watched South Park, you'll recognize him right away; and yes, it's the real South Park that the show is based on.) We even got to do a little 4WDing in the car, at a little lake that was so still you could hardly tell where the mountain stopped and the water began. Steven loved the off-roading, of course, and the Audi performed like a champ! Along the way we stopped at our favorite French restaurant (with actual French owners) in Breckenridge, where you pay $11.00 for a sandwich but it's beyond worth it.; they also have a lemon and sugar crepe which is fabulous and I get it for breakfast anytime I get the chance. While we were driving up the road some crazy mountain boarders went zooming by. Even though they had full-face helmets on, I still wouldn't feel safe trying it myself.

Fall in the city

A collection of random photos from the garden and about town. As much as I hate to see summer go, there is a beauty to fall that is unmatched in any other season.