25 Random Things About Me

Bonnie tagged me on Facebook to list 25 random things about myself. I update my blog more than I do Facebook, so I thought I would do it here.

1. I am very methodical when it comes to eating my food. Each food has a specific way that it has to be eaten.
2. I am afraid of the dark and slept with some sort of light source through high school. I still freak out when David turns the lights off.
3. I have a scar on the outer corner of my left eye that was caused by a boomerang. We were living in Texas when it happened and the next week at school I had to take a school picture dressed as a cowboy. My picture says "Maverick Morgan" and I love it because my huge scab looks bad-a!
4. My brother and I had domesticated rats as pets that we got from our uncle who worked in Animal Control. They have a very interesting story. Just ask.
5. I was born with 11 missing permanent teeth. Many of the teeth I currently have are my baby teeth. My older brother is missing 13 and my younger brother is missing 9. We are genetic freaks.
6. I HATE the sound of a toilet flushing. I don't normally have sensitive hearing, but it hurts my ears for some reason.
7. I am unable to cross my eyes or wink with my left eye.
8. I like speaking in classes because I love the feeling of validation when I know I'm right. I cringe and turn bright red when I can tell that the teacher thinks my idea is not correct, and then I rack my brain to try to think of something else I can say to redeem myself.
9. I laugh at people when they make a mistake while speaking. They usually become very angry with me.
10. I want children, but I really want to have girls. I don't know how to play boy games.
11. I cried when I got my bangs cut. Haircuts are usually very traumatic for me.
12. When I think of something bad that I've done, I shiver/twitch. It's involuntary and embarrassing.
13. I love the smell of garlic. I love the smell of it cooking, or when I chop it and the smell lingers on my hands for hours.
14. I love cleaning. I scrutinize other peoples' cleaning and usually feel that I could have done a better job than they did.
15. I can have entire conversations in Saved By the Bell "speak". That is how obsessed I was with the show.
16. I am obsessed with the scene in Enchanted where the chipmunk Pipp tries to get the prince to figure out what he is trying to say. It makes me laugh until my stomach hurts and I'm crying.
17. I like knowing peoples' secrets and I try to do my best not to gossip. Often I don't do a very good job. I'm working on it.
18. I have two red dots on either side of my forehead. They look like places where butterfly antennae would go. David calls me his butterfly and I love it.
19. I have never been able to see the picture in Magic Eyes. I get very angry when I think about it.
20. I want to be a writer like David Sedaris.
21. I wish I were better at baking, singing and running.
22. I hold the nickname record in my family. I think the final count is 12. My favorite is Carcamon Craze, because it has a song that goes along with it, courtesy of my brother, Aron.
23. I hate running, but I hate the thought of being overweight more.
24. I judge people based on their taste in literature.
25. I once ate an entire box of Nutty Bars in one sitting. Little Debbies are my kryptonite.

I am in LOVE

I have discovered my favorite dessert, EVER.
My favorite food is any kind of fruit, so combine fruit with dessert, and I'm a happy person.
I have a very kind husband who took me out to dinner at Harry Bissetts on Tuesday because I was having a bad day. Harry Bissetts has the most amazing dessert called Fresh Fruit Sabayon.
It's fresh fruit (they use Strawberries) sliced and mixed with the Sabayon, which is a custard/cream infused with a fruity wine (like sherry). It is the best! David attempted to make it a few nights ago, but it is one of those foods that takes a couple of times to get right. The recipe involves double boilers and continuous whisking. It would be very bad for me to attempt to make it, but I'm hoping my love will try again-maybe for Valentine's Day?


Strawberry Sabayon Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds fresh ripe strawberries (3 pints)
• 1 tablespoon sugar, plus more to taste
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste

For the Sabayon:

• 6 egg yolks
• 1 cup sweet Marsala wine or port, sherry, or Madeira
• 1/3 cup sugar, plus more to taste
• Drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Preparation:

Preparing the Strawberries:

About an hour before serving the dessert, rinse the strawberries (stems on) and drain them on paper towels. Slice off the stems and halve or quarter the strawberries lengthwise, depending on size, into a bowl. Sprinkle over the sugar and the lemon juice; fold gently together to blend well. Taste a strawberry, add more sugar or lemon juice if needed, and set aside to macerate.

Whipping the Sabayon:

Whisk to blend the yolks, wine, and sugar in a stainless-steel or glass bowl. Rest the bowl in a saucepan over hot water. Whisk constantly for 4 to 5 minutes or more to cook the sauce, until it has the consistency of lightly whipped cream. Clear the bottom of the bowl constantly with the whisk so that the eggs do not scramble, and adjust the heat as needed. Taste the sauce — the sabayon should never get so hot that you can't stick your very clean finger in it — and whisk drops of lemon juice or more sugar if you want. When thick, foamy, and tripled in volume, remove from heat. Cool the sabayon to room temperature. Whip the cream and sugar until soft peaks form, and fold the cream into the sabayon with a rubber spatula.

Serving:

Spoon a portion of strawberries — 1/2 cup or more — into each goblet or glass, and top with 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the sabayon.

Makes 6-8 servings

*This recipe is from www.epicurious.com, but I made several modifications after David's first attempt.

Beautiful Girls

I loved Amy Adams and Claire Danes at the Screen Actors Guild Awards! They are two of my FAVORITE actresses and they look so beautiful. The dresses have pretty detail and fit so perfectly.



p.s. I will be stealing Claire Danes' perfect blonde this summer!

My favorite

I do not typically like warm weather, but I have a favorite go-to outfit that is better suited for higher temperatures:

v-neck tee

+

skinny jeans

+

sandals

The weather has been much too cold for tee shirts and sandals! I love cold weather, but I am ready to be able to just throw this on and go. Knowing Georgia, I'll be able to do so by March!
p.s. I am grateful to Urban Outfitters for continually supplying me with comfortable, cute basics.

Photos

Love, love, love the photography of Sarah Bernhard!

Skirting the Issue

I am really loving all of the cute skirts at Urban Outfitters.

I love the belt!

The blue paired with the black tights is so simple and pretty.

I'm usually not a fan of print, because it tends to overpower
me and my shortness, but the palette is so pretty
and the print is on the small side with just a few shapes
going on. I love everything about this outfit!

I'm a big fan of navy blue paired with black. So pretty.

Sun Kil Moon

I really love the music of Sun Kil Moon. The leader singer is Mark Kozelek, from Red House Painters-another great band. I listen to this music on my walk to work and it makes me happy.

The most recent album, April.

Favorite Color of the Week: Pleasing Purple

I love pretty shades of purple!

Soft purple is nice for interiors!

Anthropologie dress

Such a pretty little girl's room!

Interesting necklaces from UNEARTHEN

Bella

We watched this movie this weekend. It was really beautiful, in an unexpected way.

Old and New

Old hair

New hair

Voila!

Me too!

I often feel like this! There are so many books and only a certain amount of time in my life that I am able to read. I feel like every book I have read is important in some way (maybe with the exception of Twilight) and every time I think that I panic, because there are so many other books that are just as important that I haven't read. Why won't someone come along and pay me to read all day? Please?

Currently Reading

Rarely do I laugh out loud when reading, but I can count on doing so any time I pick up one of his books. He reveals all of the deeply mortifying things about family life that we all experience in some form, but does so with more humor than most of us are capable of. I love everything that David Sedaris has written. He is my go to for a fun read! My favorite so far is the Chapter 2, "Let It Snow".

Lovely in Black

David says I own way too much black and that I'm always buying more, but I love black and I think these pictures illustrate how timelessly cool head to toe black can be.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my father's 58th birthday! Happy Birthday Dad! I love you!
My dad . . . made breakfast for me just about every day of my life growing up, understands and shares my love of clothes, inspired a love for other Capricorns, always lets me know he is there, and has always loved me and everyone else for who we are. He is the best.

I Love Lists

I really do love lists! They have long been an obsession of mine. David believes that the obsession is turning unhealthy, as I am unable to go anywhere or do anything without first making a list of what I need to do, buy, pack, etc. My argument is that I never forget anything, (except for my cell phone, for some reason). I usually make my lists on scratch paper, but these cute letterpress sheets from Etsy would be very nice. I'll put them on my list.

One More Reason . . .

These beautiful swimsuits are just one more reason to continue working out. They are probably way out of my swimsuit price range, but they inspire me to continue my routine (no matter how many times I feel like curling up under a blanket, rather than being outside running in the 35 degree weather), and treat myself to a suit as pretty as these!

So Pretty

I am in love with Cameron Diaz in this dress at the Golden Globes! There were lots of beautiful stars in beautiful dresses, but this one is my favorite! The shape and the color are so pretty. I'm actually liking the two-tone hair, too.



p. s. Maggie Gyllenhal was also a fave!

Sleep, please.

I would like to be curled up right there, please.

I am indecisive. Please help me.

Once again, I have a decision to make that I am needlessly stressing out about. I have been highlighting my hair blond since I was 16, but I let the color grow out over this past year and have now returned to my natural color. Lately, I've been tossing around the idea of coloring my hair again. My dear mother was kind enough to give me money this Christmas for said idea, but now I am having trouble deciding whether or not I really want to have it done. Yes, yes, I know it is just hair and that it will grow out, but I am not keen on two-tone hair, so if I color it once, I will probably continue coloring it. So, the question is, should I go blond,




or should I keep my natural color?