Crock Pot Habits

After a good ten years of being advised to utilize a crock pot, I have finally paid heed.  Last night we had sausage and pepper pasta and tortilla soup is on the menu tonight.  I am obsessed with this thing.  So my question is...do you leave your crock pot unattended?  All day?  Usually I'm home but I left it for a while today without really worrying about it.  However, some people do (and, admittedly, that is one of the reasons I never used it in the past).  They say it uses as much electricity as a lightbulb, but I don't put a gallon of liquid in my lamps...

October Birchbox

We're back with another Birchbox review.

This month our box included: a new mascara (really great, although a little odd coming off), an organic facial scrub (great for your travel bag), a Redken shine spray, all natural lip exfoliator, and some fun mints.   I am loving the fact that a lot of the items we've received are great for travel -- things we would buy anyway for our weekends away!

What did you think of your Birchbox shipment this month?

The Red Cups

Living in a college town, I had to share this article.  Solo cups are a college staple, in so many ways. 

I actually once heard of a foreign exchange student who was asked "What are you most looking forward to experiencing during your time in America?" 
She replied, "Going to a party with the red cups!"

Dinner Tonight

excuse the camera phone photo

Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas....Yum.

Baby Boy Gifts!*

 

 

*not for either of us

Tailgate Recap

Charlottesville ushered in Fall weather this weekend, and the 'Hoos added another win to their record.

The tailgate was a win, per usual. This week, our menu included:
Crudite with hummus and spinach dip
Fresh Fruit
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Traditional 7 Layer Dip with 6 layers (we are not an olive loving group)
Cedar Planked Grilled Brie with Peach Chutney
Pork, Veggie, and Chicken Kabobs
Pasta Salad with Feta and Roasted Peppers
Cornbread
Apple Slab Pie
Other assorted desserts, and, of course, cocktails!

Do You Birchbox?

Have you heard about Birchbox?  We have.  From one of our readers, actually.  What a great gift (to yourself or someone else on your list).

Launched by two HBS grads, Birchbox brings upscale beauty samples to your doorstep for only $10/month.

This month's delivery brought Befine Night Cream, Jouer Lip Enhancer, Jurlique Hand Santizer, and Ferragamo perfume.  The super-cute packaging is also a plus!

Love

How gorgeous is the new copper collection from Simon Pearce?  It stopped me in my tracks when I was casually flipping through the latest catalogue.

No thank you

One of my friends has the inside scoop on all the big estate sales in the area.  Last week I made plans to meet her at 10am in Scarsdale, NY.  When I pulled up it looked like this:

The turnout seemed impressive for a Friday morning.  Hopes were high.  When we walked in there were some nice linens and pieces of silver.  We got the giggles when we came across four cans of PBR, still in the six pack casing, labeled $2.  However, things took a depressing turn when we went into the kitchen and one of the organizers was labeling food in the pantry.  And we fled when she tried to sell a jar of peanut butter to my friend, with the inside info "it's creamy."  In 50 years you can bet I will tell my children that they are NEVER to sell my foodstuffs when I leave my home.  (Talk about dark humor, right?)

Hopefully we will have better luck this week in Greenwich.

Dog Alert

Farrell and I are what I would call practical dog lovers.  We aren't terribly indulgent- dogs need structure- and we don't lose sight of the fact that dogs are not human.  Which isn't to say our dogs past and present don't have pretty cushy lives- they do and we love and appreciate them very much.  After working in the thoroughbred industry in Kentucky I also think I'm realistic about the overbreeding situation (of dogs, cats, and horses) in this country.  However, I was extremely shocked by some information I found on the website of L.A.B Rescue and Adoption Network.  According to their page entitled About Our Organization, approximately 30-40% of the animals put down in Texas pounds are purebred.  Isn't that crazy?  Can you imagine paying $900+ for a dog only to realize that maybe you don't have enough time for it?  Clearly there are some very uninformed people out there, and I have to say I partially blame the breeders.  I recently called a reputable breeder about a Rhodesian Ridgeback, which is a rather high maintenance dog, and I was shocked by what she didn't want to discuss before launching into her sales pitch.  In addition, this throw away attitude is creating a false market for more purebred dogs and more breeding.  But I'm getting off track.  This information about Texas (and its dog gas chambers) really got to me.  If you live in Texas or Connecticut, please consider working with this organization through fostering, adoption, or donation of goods and services.