And they have 101 ideas for how to use them.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Metal Containers
I'm so tired from trying to be a day person for my first 2 days of orientation. And tomorrow night I have to be a night person. But I perked up when I saw these cute metal containers. Don't you just want about all of these? And right now, if you enter DCDEALS at checkout, they are 25% off.
And they have 101 ideas for how to use them.
And they have 101 ideas for how to use them.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Top 5: Suck You In Movies
You know what I mean - You get up on a day off with plans to get out, enjoy the sun, visit the farmer's market, run some errands, whatever. You make a chocolate soy milk/banana smoothie and some toast. You sit down to eat it and make your fatal mistake, you turn on the TV, just to see what's on. Next thing you know, it's 2 hours later because one of those movies you can't resist, even though you've seen it 15 times, is on. I wish I could say my list included Koyaanisqatsi, Metropolis, An Inconvenient Truth, Roger and Me, and Citizen Kane. But alas, it's a bit fluffier than that. I'm sure I have lots more of these than this, but in keeping with the theme, here are 5.
1) The Goonies - The movie that did it to me yesterday. Set on the Oregon coast and Haystack rock plays an integral role. This one is just a fun movie from my childhood and may be the first thing that made me think I wanted to live in Oregon. It's such a caper (what a great word), and so fun to see the kids figure out the treasure map and save the day.
2) Sixteen Candles - I could probably quote this whole movie so I could play it in my head whenever I want but still it has very high Saturday-ruining potential. And it's by John Hughes and stars Molly Ringwald so it has street cred. Just hearing Jake Ryan on the steps of the church say, "Yeah you" or the song "If You Were Here" makes me swoon. Memorable moments include Molly Ringwald's scream after her friend says her brother paid $1 to see her underwear, Joan Cusack's dance while wearing a neck brace, any scene with Farmer Ted the geek, and of course, the kiss over the birthday cake at the end. But the line I love the most is when Grandpa calls the police when Long Duk Dong is missing, and describes his outfit, "What was he wearing? Well, uh, let's see, he was wearing a red argyle sweater, and tan trousers, and red shoes... (pause for the police to say something we don't hear) No, he's not retarded." I think of this line almost every time I wear something a little unusual - is it daring or would someone have to defend my mental abilities? And watching it on TV provides even more laughs when you know it well enough to know how they edited the dialogue for TV.
3) The Bourne Identity - I really like the rest of the trilogy too but this is currently the one most likely to be on a Saturday morning. This movie has it all, action, drama, mystery, suspense, a cute actor, a little romance, a great car chase, and it's set in Europe. And Jason Bourne is soooo smart which only makes him cuter. See, I do have my priorities in line.
4) 13 Going on 30 - I love Jennifer Garner. I loved Alias, I loved her on SNL doing the skit as a Walmart greeter and offering people maps of the store and rain gear because the store was so huge it had different weather systems. I think this movie is underrated. It is so funny and so well done. If it were possible for a 13 year old girl from the 80s to suddenly wake up and be 30 in the 2000s, this is how she would be. She would be more excited to have a signed photo from Madonna than Guiliani. She would dance to Thriller, she would waffle between plain and peanut when asked about Eminem. I also really like that the ending is done in a way that the other girl doesn't get dumped. And if that weren't enough, the guy is Mark Ruffalo.
5) About a Boy - I own this one and yet I sometimes catch myself watching it on TV, with commercials! Maybe I don't deserve a DVD player if I'm going to ignore it like that. I love Nick Hornby. I love Hugh Grant. I love Toni Collette. I love that kid's eyebrows. A friend of mine and I have both been unemployed and we totally related to the part about your day being divided into units of time and finding ways to fill the units. I love hearing Hugh Grant's thoughts and how we have all thought things like that. And ultimately, I love his change of heart.
Here are a few others I didn't have room for: Clueless, Never Been Kissed, Ocean's Eleven, Die Hard, Out of Sight, Room with a View, Pride and Prejudice (although this takes more than just a Saturday morning), The Parent Trap, and Grease. What about you? What did I forget?
1) The Goonies - The movie that did it to me yesterday. Set on the Oregon coast and Haystack rock plays an integral role. This one is just a fun movie from my childhood and may be the first thing that made me think I wanted to live in Oregon. It's such a caper (what a great word), and so fun to see the kids figure out the treasure map and save the day.
2) Sixteen Candles - I could probably quote this whole movie so I could play it in my head whenever I want but still it has very high Saturday-ruining potential. And it's by John Hughes and stars Molly Ringwald so it has street cred. Just hearing Jake Ryan on the steps of the church say, "Yeah you" or the song "If You Were Here" makes me swoon. Memorable moments include Molly Ringwald's scream after her friend says her brother paid $1 to see her underwear, Joan Cusack's dance while wearing a neck brace, any scene with Farmer Ted the geek, and of course, the kiss over the birthday cake at the end. But the line I love the most is when Grandpa calls the police when Long Duk Dong is missing, and describes his outfit, "What was he wearing? Well, uh, let's see, he was wearing a red argyle sweater, and tan trousers, and red shoes... (pause for the police to say something we don't hear) No, he's not retarded." I think of this line almost every time I wear something a little unusual - is it daring or would someone have to defend my mental abilities? And watching it on TV provides even more laughs when you know it well enough to know how they edited the dialogue for TV.
3) The Bourne Identity - I really like the rest of the trilogy too but this is currently the one most likely to be on a Saturday morning. This movie has it all, action, drama, mystery, suspense, a cute actor, a little romance, a great car chase, and it's set in Europe. And Jason Bourne is soooo smart which only makes him cuter. See, I do have my priorities in line.
4) 13 Going on 30 - I love Jennifer Garner. I loved Alias, I loved her on SNL doing the skit as a Walmart greeter and offering people maps of the store and rain gear because the store was so huge it had different weather systems. I think this movie is underrated. It is so funny and so well done. If it were possible for a 13 year old girl from the 80s to suddenly wake up and be 30 in the 2000s, this is how she would be. She would be more excited to have a signed photo from Madonna than Guiliani. She would dance to Thriller, she would waffle between plain and peanut when asked about Eminem. I also really like that the ending is done in a way that the other girl doesn't get dumped. And if that weren't enough, the guy is Mark Ruffalo.
5) About a Boy - I own this one and yet I sometimes catch myself watching it on TV, with commercials! Maybe I don't deserve a DVD player if I'm going to ignore it like that. I love Nick Hornby. I love Hugh Grant. I love Toni Collette. I love that kid's eyebrows. A friend of mine and I have both been unemployed and we totally related to the part about your day being divided into units of time and finding ways to fill the units. I love hearing Hugh Grant's thoughts and how we have all thought things like that. And ultimately, I love his change of heart.
Here are a few others I didn't have room for: Clueless, Never Been Kissed, Ocean's Eleven, Die Hard, Out of Sight, Room with a View, Pride and Prejudice (although this takes more than just a Saturday morning), The Parent Trap, and Grease. What about you? What did I forget?
Saturday, April 26, 2008
CB2 Wall Lighting
I'm not sure how much longer I want to be a travel nurse and I could see myself staying in Portland. It's intimidating and exciting to think about buying all new furniture. I sold mine before I started this and now my agency finds my apartments and furnishes them. I've never decorated an entire apartment at one time nor had the option of trying to get furniture that all works together and is one style. But I also know I like to get a good deal, have a unique look, and not feel like a room seems straight out of a catalog. So I think I might post more decor ideas here. And here's the first one.
Back in 2001, I spent a few weeks in Europe after getting laid off from my job. In Aix-en-Provence, Laura and I went to a wonderful restaurant. I was about to say we splurged but if I remember correctly, my dad paid for it. Thanks Dad! What I do clearly remember, the main wall was a terra cotta color and had a huge tree painted on it. Then, along the branches, some of the leaves were painted and others were cut into the wall with small candles placed in the open spaces. It was beautiful, all lit up, on a perfect summer night.
CB2 has metal sconces that I love. Several grouped on a wall has a similar effect of lighting the wall.
Back in 2001, I spent a few weeks in Europe after getting laid off from my job. In Aix-en-Provence, Laura and I went to a wonderful restaurant. I was about to say we splurged but if I remember correctly, my dad paid for it. Thanks Dad! What I do clearly remember, the main wall was a terra cotta color and had a huge tree painted on it. Then, along the branches, some of the leaves were painted and others were cut into the wall with small candles placed in the open spaces. It was beautiful, all lit up, on a perfect summer night.
CB2 has metal sconces that I love. Several grouped on a wall has a similar effect of lighting the wall.
When Your Friday Goes Flat
So I had plans for Friday, nothing critical but fun places to go. My car had other ideas. I walked out to a flat tire. My passenger side back tire had been getting low lately and I'd filled it about once a month. But yesterday it was flat! My mom wouldn't let me get my license till I knew how to change a tire and use jumper cables. So remembering a lesson from Young Women's, I changed the tire, complete with jumping on the wrench to loosen the lug nuts. Well, with all the tire filling, I never filled the spare, can you see where this is going? As I started lowering the jack after changing the tire, the spare was flat too. Grrrr! I called Les Schwab, one of my favorite things in OR now, to get a towing company recommendation. But they had a better idea, they just sent out a truck with compressed air to reinflate my tire so I could drive to the store, FOR FREE! I love that place. So yesterday, instead of eating a cupcake while looking at adorable home decor, I was at Les Schwab. I did get to look through a Crate & Barrel catalog and eat some popcorn, good but not quite the same. But I won't complain too much because it happened on Friday - not last Monday as I was driving here or next Monday before my first day of work.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Noun (n.) - A Really Cute Store
Someone I have never met, Mrs. French, left a very nice comment on my post about moving back to Portland. Well, her blog, Bliss, is amazing. Too many beautiful things to share here and why would I when you should really go look at her blog.
Her most recent post is about Noun, a store in the Belmont dairy area of Portland. The website for this store is fun, the tagline is great - Noun - A person's place for things. I'm a grammar nerd so this makes me very happy. I have been in love with lamps lately, a great one really defines a room and has a purpose, a wonderful combination of form and function. Look at these beautiful lamps.
And they sell art by local artists.
Her most recent post is about Noun, a store in the Belmont dairy area of Portland. The website for this store is fun, the tagline is great - Noun - A person's place for things. I'm a grammar nerd so this makes me very happy. I have been in love with lamps lately, a great one really defines a room and has a purpose, a wonderful combination of form and function. Look at these beautiful lamps.
And they sell art by local artists.
And did I mention one more important enticement... It's next to Saint Cupcake.
Well I gotta go get ready, I know where I'm going today.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Discovery Channel Ad
This ad for the Discovery Channel makes me happy. It's a fun song and I love all the different people singing. My favorites are Adam lighting Jamie's sleeve on fire (Mythbusters) and Stephen Hawking.
Maybe You Can Go Home Again
I know I'm not FROM Portland but it does feel like home. I arrived on Tuesday and driving here was a long collection of memories. Each sign I passed - the Welcome to Oregon sign,the first sign telling me Portland was 367 miles away, the Multnomah county line sign, the Portland city line sign, and the Made in Oregon deer sign, all made me smile, all made me feel like I was heading in the right direction, and the Multnomah county sign actually made me tear up a bit. But the biggest sign I could be a true Oregonian, the first time I had to turn on my windshield wipers, I laughed. I'm really happy to be here. Here's a post I wrote while living out of state for {frolic!} as a guest blogger.
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{guest blogger ansley: the great nw} -written 7/31/2007
Picking cities to travel to made me think of cities I have lived in and loved. I spent 7 years in Portland, OR which is a beautiful city centered around 2 rivers, equidistant from the Pacific coast and Mt Hood. So what did I love about it...the people, my friends and the other very weird people. There is a whole group dedicated to keeping Portland weird. I love Seaside in the summer and Cannon Beach in the winter. I love all the little neighborhoods, each with their own identity but still united in being uniquely Portland. I love all of Portland's independent shops, Powell's, clothing boutiques, music venues, and art galleries. I love that once you are downtown, you can walk almost anywhere. I love all the bridges and the bike racks that look like my favorite bridge, the Fremont. I love the public Rose Gardens and the private gardens in almost every yard. I love the idea that even I could have a green thumb there. I love having favorite restaurants where I always order the same thing but also knowing almost any other currently unknown restaurant will have something delicious. I loved living within walking distance to a post office, library, Trader Joe's, 2 indie movie theaters, and lots of restaurants and shops. I love the crepe stand. I love Portland's living room, Pioneer Courthouse Square anytime but especially at lunch time or during the KINK free concert. I love the radio stations who mix perfect amounts of old and new and not too much talk. I loved flying back into Portland and seeing the rivers and mountains and when the person next to me told me I was so lucky to get to live here. I knew then that she was right, but now that I'm no longer there, I know it even more.
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{guest blogger ansley: the great nw} -written 7/31/2007
Picking cities to travel to made me think of cities I have lived in and loved. I spent 7 years in Portland, OR which is a beautiful city centered around 2 rivers, equidistant from the Pacific coast and Mt Hood. So what did I love about it...the people, my friends and the other very weird people. There is a whole group dedicated to keeping Portland weird. I love Seaside in the summer and Cannon Beach in the winter. I love all the little neighborhoods, each with their own identity but still united in being uniquely Portland. I love all of Portland's independent shops, Powell's, clothing boutiques, music venues, and art galleries. I love that once you are downtown, you can walk almost anywhere. I love all the bridges and the bike racks that look like my favorite bridge, the Fremont. I love the public Rose Gardens and the private gardens in almost every yard. I love the idea that even I could have a green thumb there. I love having favorite restaurants where I always order the same thing but also knowing almost any other currently unknown restaurant will have something delicious. I loved living within walking distance to a post office, library, Trader Joe's, 2 indie movie theaters, and lots of restaurants and shops. I love the crepe stand. I love Portland's living room, Pioneer Courthouse Square anytime but especially at lunch time or during the KINK free concert. I love the radio stations who mix perfect amounts of old and new and not too much talk. I loved flying back into Portland and seeing the rivers and mountains and when the person next to me told me I was so lucky to get to live here. I knew then that she was right, but now that I'm no longer there, I know it even more.
Monday, April 21, 2008
A Texas-Sized Post
There was so much I missed writing about in TX so here it is:
I went to San Antonio. The river walk was beautiful, like Disney World for adults.
Also went to Fredericksburg, a cute German town with a shopping area that is great for humans...
But not safe for animals...
Well, I guess these animals are safe.
SXSW - I woke up with a pulled neck muscle and couldn't turn my head at all to the left. Luckily Kaylyn was willing to drive and still let me pick the bands. I was the only person not dancing, and when I tried I looked like Joan Cusack's character in Sixteen Candles with the neck brace. We saw Blitzen Trapper, J. Mascis, Thurston Moore, Okkervil River, Kimya Dawson, and She and Him. Did you know that not only is Zooey Deschanel in She and Him but that's Maggie Gyllenhall on bass and Philip Seymour Hoffman on guitar - not really but it sure does look like them, huh?
Then I got in my car, drove through TX, got lunch in Truth or Consequences, NM - The truth, Sonic makes a great cherry limeade, the consequences, I had to pee about 30 minutes later ruining my miles/hour.
I also stopped at the Four Corners. I've always wanted to go here and although there's not much to it, I'm glad I made the detour.
Tomorrow I arrive in Portland!
I went to San Antonio. The river walk was beautiful, like Disney World for adults.
Also went to Fredericksburg, a cute German town with a shopping area that is great for humans...
But not safe for animals...
Well, I guess these animals are safe.
SXSW - I woke up with a pulled neck muscle and couldn't turn my head at all to the left. Luckily Kaylyn was willing to drive and still let me pick the bands. I was the only person not dancing, and when I tried I looked like Joan Cusack's character in Sixteen Candles with the neck brace. We saw Blitzen Trapper, J. Mascis, Thurston Moore, Okkervil River, Kimya Dawson, and She and Him. Did you know that not only is Zooey Deschanel in She and Him but that's Maggie Gyllenhall on bass and Philip Seymour Hoffman on guitar - not really but it sure does look like them, huh?
Then I got in my car, drove through TX, got lunch in Truth or Consequences, NM - The truth, Sonic makes a great cherry limeade, the consequences, I had to pee about 30 minutes later ruining my miles/hour.
I also stopped at the Four Corners. I've always wanted to go here and although there's not much to it, I'm glad I made the detour.
Tomorrow I arrive in Portland!
Monday, April 14, 2008
Disconnected
I'm in Utah for about 10 days between assignments. My mom doesn't have the internet, (or cable right when the shows are back after the writers' strike) so I have been feeling a bit disconnected. But the good side is that i just checked google reader and EVERYONE has new posts I haven't read. Fun!
Thursday, April 03, 2008
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