Best Day on the Job

So, as I mentioned, we had a special guest in our office this week...

This made my year. I was smiling ear to ear as you can see in this picture. The night before, I practiced and practiced and practiced my "Picture with S.L. smile." This was definitely not it. But I got nervous and excited all at the same time--oy! What's a girl to do? And how could I tell S.L. that this was not my good side? That in fact I needed to be on her side in order to capture my good side?

This picture will most definitely be printed and framed. I have an empty frame on my desk at work. Would it be weird if I put this picture in it rather than family members? I feel like most people have pictures of their children. Clearly I do not have these yet. And I feel weird about putting a picture of David and me because of the whole mixing work and personal. I think this one will do the frame justice.

Time for Change

Do you have any spaces or vignettes in your home that you just cannot stop re-working? This one is mine.

I believe the cause behind this obsession is the difficulty I experience in choosing which tchotskies get the lime light and which do not. It's almost like choosing a favorite child. I mean, how does one choose between a lovely hobnail, scallopped milk glass chip and dip and an antique pink and gold teacup? Oy, life's decisions!


And by George, I think I've finally got it. (I say this, and next week, you will probably see a blog post with a new picture.) But for now, I am happy. My collection de milk glass now resides on two shelves and the middle shelf is a melange of pastel favorites. Atop the cabinet, I have found a wonderful home for this beautiful clock. Our family friend Debbie gave it to me as a birthday gift. I tried placing it on the fireplace mantle, but that spot just didn't do it justice. I think the scale is better here!


Hope everyone has a wonderful week. I am so excited...we have a very, very special guest coming to the office this week. Many, many outfits need to be scouted.

Mistakes Were Made

It must be true what they say about Mondays. This past Monday morning, I was running about two minutes late. I bolted out of my front door only to find this mess.

Someone smashed my passenger side front window, dented my door and stole my lovely Garmin GPS named Emma Grace. Aside from the idea of a perfect stranger invading my personal and private space, I was horrified at the sheer thought of Emma Grace being in those nasty thief hands and ending up in a, dare I say it, pawn shop. Ohhh Emma.

I immediately dialed the police department. Police Officer Church was dispatched to the site. (Small world- he is actually from my and David's hometown, went to the same high school, knows the same people, graduated with our aunts and uncles. This is so Alexander City, Alabama by the way. Wherever you go, you always meet someone from or someone who knows someone from Alex. City. It's weird.) Anyway, he informed me that other occurrences like mine have happened within the past week and in our area. And I believe he has an idea of who the nasty felon is. Take him to jail Church!

So my fellow blog readers, please park your car in a garage if you have one. I do and failed to use it. Also, please put your GPSs and other valuable items out of sight. Normally I am good about this but failed to do so. As our wonderful politicians like to say, mistakes were made.

Chez Fon Fon est Fun Fun

Last night, David and I dined at the delicious Chez Fon Fon in downtown Birmingham. My Aunt Judy and Uncle Mack treated us along with some family members to a fabulous dinner. The atmosphere is so authentically French. I was quite taken by surprise that such a place could exist in Alabama. Pleasantly surprised however. They have even set up a boule courtyard where men come and smoke cigars and tell tall-tales in the evening. How much more French can you get?

I began the evening with one of my favorite drinks- Kir Royale. Yum Yum. We nibbled on crostini topped with olive tapenade and goat cheese. I ordered the mussels which are drenched in a lemon, garlicy wine sauce that I soaked up completely with French bread. My host parents taught me that this is okay and actually encouraged to do. When in France....or in a French restaurant, do as the French do, right?

To completely top the night off, we got to meet owner and Chef Frank Stitt. Quel surprise!

Happy Fourth of July!

Hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July holiday! You know me, my decor palette leans more toward the pastels. I don't really do primary colors, so I didn't have anything particularly festive around the house. Except for these.


One of my favorite pairs of shoes. I like them perched upon my Manolo Blahnik coffee table book. Clearly, they are not Manolos, but I like it. Fourth of July splurge vs. steal type thing going on.

Anyway, I hope you have a fabulous, but safe weekend!

Cooking for Madam

Just when I thought my birthday couldn't get any better!

Allyson came to Alex. City this weekend to help us decorate Mom's Christmas booth at the antique mall. Mom and her fellow antiquing friends have seen so much success that they decided to have a booth specifically dedicated to Christmas cheer for the month of July. Aside from the excitement that always accompanies a visit from Allyson, she gave me my birthday gifts.



How beautiful is this piece of milkglass. Fuel to my fiery obsession! I love my little pink cake ornament. It will join the vignette that is home to my Martha Stewart Christmas cupcake ornament. Who said Christmas can't be year around?

The gift that I am most excited about and I think Allyson was most excited about giving is the book. In case the picture is too small, it's called "Cooking with Madam" by Marta Sgobin and it's actually signed! Marta was Jackie O's personal chef while she was married to Ari. In her book, Marta shares thoughtful recipes she concocted for "Madam" as well as intimate anecdotes only a close family friend would know. Reading it, I feel like I'm peaking into the intriguing lives of the Kennedy clan.

To give you some background on this fabulous gift- we have searched the ends of the earth for this book. And Allyson finally found it. She actually found three: one for me, one for Mom and one for Allyson. You see that's our little system--buy in threes. It used to be in twos- just Mom and Allyson. I never thought I'd make it to the club. Finally, the honor was bestowed upon me and I get to partake in the fun!

I'll have to share some passages from this book with you all just to show you how wonderful this book is. Thank you Allyson!