From our house to yours...

Are you on the countdown?

Even though it is only Thursday, you can tell people are ITCHING to get out of the office and into holiday mode. People are humming tunes, treats are everywhere you look and at 5pm, people are racing to the door.

What about in your office? Are you closed from Christmas to the New Years (lucky!)!!

Meet me in Cape Coral

 Are you guys all on the Christmas countdown? I know I am. But I am also feeling a little anxiety. On Saturday morning, my parents, my sisters, my brother-in-law, my nephew, PB and I will all board a plane to Florida for the week. The twist is that PB's dad and wife live in Cape Coral and we will be spending Christmas with them. Our parents have never met each other and while I know that everyone is a. adult (except for my nephew Jake) b. totally fun and loving, the idea of all of us together does make my palms sweat just a little. Any tips or advice?

2012 in Movies

Ok so I am not the best about seeing movies. There are still so many that I want to cross of my list and to even start that list, I suggest you refer to this mash-up of 2012 movies. I have to say that the team who put this together did it pretty seamlessly.

Here is my list of movies I still want to see in no particular order....
Flight - Pitch Perfect - Zero Dark Thirty - Celeste and Jesse - Looper - Les Mis - Skyfall

What else should I add to this list?  What movies didn't you see this year that you wanted to?

Improving your vocabulary

Stuck in a word rut? Try some of these in 2013!

Originally seen on Modern Hepburn

ps. What is your favorite word? I love effervescent. Both the word and the definition.
pps. thanks Lindsey for putting this on your Pinterest page!

Doing something

This weekend, like many of you I am sure, I spent a fair amount of time glued to the TV with reports from Newtown flooding my brain. Heartbroken seems to be the most appropriate word for the situation. It was hard this weekend not to hug my nephew extra tight when I saw him., to not think of Barbara in her school in Texas, to not be even fearful on the subway. PB could see me going down this train track of fear and slowly helped me ease on the breaks. I know that I cannot live in fear. I know that something has to be done. And so last night, PB and I decided to write a letter to our representatives in Congress and the Senate. Both sites have a search tool that allows you to plug in your zip code and it will tell you who your representative is. Let them hear your voice.

Getting glugged

Tonight PB and I are celebrating Christmas...from 2011.Last year, I gave him all sorts of bar tools and accoutrements followed by a promise of some sort of drink making class. And then the rest of year happened and we never signed up (or I never got the ball rolling-- it's been a busy year, sheesh, lay off me man). So, before it tuns into 2012'a Christmas present, tonight we are heading to Astor Wines for our Libation Calibration class. I am pretty excited since I love the idea of being able to serve fun drinks at home. I just hope they provide notes so that I don't forget* anything

*By forget, I mean drink too much.

Bar Cart Images Seen on M.Pression

Googles Year in Review

 Another amazing video from Google. Thanks Barb for sending it over! I love year end wrap ups!

New Tunes

Scott Avett Seen Here

 Getting new music is sometimes a real mystery. My friends Barbara and Amy are great at this. They area always buzzing about some new group which is why they lead the way at ACL this year while I just YOLO'ed my way to cheese fries. But one way that I have found new music has been tuning in the All Songs Considered on NPR. They have a podcast (and you know how I feel about a podcast) and this time of year is extra special, it's the Year in Music! A total cram session that will let you walk away with at least 5 new albums you want to download and enough knowledge to make people think you subscribe to Rolling Stone Magazine. Download this bad boy asap. 

We're off to see the wizard.

Did you know every year Pantone names a color of the year. They just released the Color of 2013 and it is Emerald Green! I have to admit, I am totally in love...and not just because it is my birthstone. This shade of green is the kind that I think looks great on most people and I cannot wait to start seeing more of it. 

Seen on Pantone

They have also relased the Colors of Spring (my favorite season) of 2013 and lets just say...Grayed Jade, I have my eye on you. Which do you like best?

Seen Here

new york

Seen Here

New York can be a tough as sh*t place to live. I shop at 3 different grocery stores, lugging my finds home, 4 flights up. Most days, my commute (which is still not back to normal due to Sandy) is 40 minutes of being sandwiched between 5,00 other people trying to get to where they are going. It isn't just the subway, there are literally people everywhere. We pay a ton in rent. But just when you start to feel sorry for yourself, NYMagazine puts out their annual issue Reasons to Love New York. And I begin to cry just realizing how lucky I am to live here.
In the spirit of the magazine, I have a few additions.

1. 1. We have a gas station on our corner. During Sandy, the guys who work there kept us updated with when gas was coming in, let me know on my walk home that PB was successful in getting gas and even keep tabs on Pasha.
2. 2. Speaking of Pasha, our local pet food store has babysat him while I ran errands in the across the street CVS. 
3. 3. Because this goes on in the school. Thanks Maya for sending it. 
4. 4. My subway magazine guy special ordered me the new Domino Magazine. 
5. 5. This city gives me ideas everyday about what to fill this blog up with. 

Let's stay positive, what do you love about where you live? Or about New York?

50 strands of grey

Turning 30 wasn't a big deal to me. I didn't wake up and question what I have been doing with my life.  What I did question where the hell these grey hairs where coming from?  I started to noticed a few come in around my temples and a few near my crown.  Ugh. I know that plucking is not the answer but here is my problem, my hair is really dark so even if it is only about 5 strands, they stick out like they are neon. So I bust out the Tweezterman and I pluck them. Don't you kinda wish that if you were going to go grey, one day all your hair would be grey instead of strand by stand?

Whats funny is that PB is completely salt and pepper and loves every single hair on his head, thinking that they take him one step closer to George Clooney. 

Do you have greys? Do you pluck? Dye? Let them go? Would you ever dye your hair grey a la Kelly Osborn recently?

Ornamental help

How funny is this hedgehog? Seen at Terrain

So as I may have mentioned before, this is the first year that PB and I have a Christmas tree. We are actually going to be in Florida with PB's dad for the actual day but I loved getting a nice size tree for the house to get us in the holiday spirit. But this Jew needs some help. Ornaments. What is the tradition? Do I just buy them willy nilly or does each need a story and special moment? Do you stick to one color pallet? Also, how many packs of lights do you use? Color or white? Have bloggers and Martha Stewart made me self conscious of my own tree? I can answer that one...yes.  Help!

Sorry for the radio silence

I literally lost my voice. I'll be back tomorrow!

addict-a-gram

 Its true. I am addicted to what is commonly known  twitter with pictures. That's right. Instagram. I noticed that I stopped uploading pictures to Facebook and just stick to instragram. Maybe I need to be better about that.  There are also a few really cool companies like Printstagram  and StickyGram that can do all sorts of fun things with your photos from making them magnets to printing them in a book or calendar. Are you on it? What's your handle? Do you love it? Do you hate it? Why are you not on it?

What would you wear?

In the spirit of this fashion focused Tuesday, my co-worker Sophie sent me this article about what people wore during their interview with Anna Wintour. I would go Theory and J.Crew in hopes that it's thought of as classic. Our totally keep the tags on a Saks spending spree. What would you wear?

I just hope I wouldn't get this face.

Anna bored face seen here

Here is also a link to Anna Wintour on 60 Minutes. Amazing!

on a quest

Ok, so I have to come clean. My spending freeze it over. It started with a J.Crew 30% off all sale items and I never looked back. With the holidays approaching, spending is in full effect, though I am trying to make smart buying decsions. One item on my list that is really a must have is new black boots. I have worn my last pair to the ground and am ready for a style update. So I went to my Pinterest page to look for ideas. I settled on the idea of a fold over boot. First of all, these tend to be a little wider in the calf which is a must for me. They look great with skirts and bare legs but also totally cute tucked in to jeans. And they are like nothing else I own, a recent requirement I have implemented to eliminate the predictable. The problem is that they are incredibly hard to find. So please feel free to chime in, point me in a direction, drop me a line, text me, tweet me, instargram me cause mama wants some new boots. What do you guys think....

The Inspiration

The I Won the Powerball Option. Givenchy at Saks

The I Won the Pick Six Option. Vera Wang at Shopbop (sold out anyway)

The I Won the Scratch Off Option.  Steven by Steven Madden at Bloomingdales

Mazel Tov Amy!

You are the winner of Emma's Cheap Thrill. Please contact me here to claim your prize!

on the subject of food

Awesome baked wings from Shutterbean.com

 Makes these. ASAP. I was scared of making chicken wings at home but since these bad boys are baked, they are both significantly easier and healthier than frying. With only a few weeks of football left, you will be thanking me.

let's get roasted

Let me first be clear and give my mom major props. She can cook. We were even once in the paper (slow news week) for all the different kind of food we ate growing up. But one of my less that favorite meal memories would be the veggie side dish. More often than not, they were steamed, broccoli, asparagus or my least favorite carrots. But then about 5 years ago, the tides shifted. Roasting veggies became all the rage and I for one, couldn't be happier. Honestly, I have not yet met a vegetable that didn't taste better with some olive oil, salt and pepper and placed into a high heat oven for 20-40 minutes depending on the veggie. Here are a few of  my favorites.What about you? Any other ones that I should put on the rotation?

.

Clockwise starting at the top left
1. Roasted Cauliflower via Wondering Spice. I had honestly given up on cauliflower years ago. It always seemed like the last option (besides carrots for me) at the veggie and dip station. But guys, when these puppies get roasted, they turn into something really special. Mix in some curry powder, or the suggested tahini dip and you will never look at these albino broccoli in the same light.
2. Roasted cabbage via Wellness Mama. Cabbage has so much more to offer than just coleslaw. I particulrly love when the edges get nice and brown.
2. Marniated and Roasted Onions via Kalyn's Kitchen. I first saw this recipe on Pinterest and knew that it had to be mind. Honestly, balsamic vinegar and onions are a match made in heaven.Get them ready the night before and enjoy! Seriously, they are the bomb.
4. Roasted Acorn Squash with Chili Lime Vinaigrette via The Traveler's Lunchbox. Perfectly in season and totally filling. I could make an entire meal out of this.

A few other shout outs: Chili Garlic Roasted Broccoli, Roasted Green Beans with Sage, Momofuku Roasted Brussels Sprouts, and Roasted Eggplant with smoked almonds and goat cheese.