DIY: Marbles and Tea Lights

This past Saturday, my roommates and I had a summer kick-off party at our apartment. I put marbles in old glass milk jugs and placed a tea light on top to make candle-holders. I think they're such fun centerpieces for summer!

That's Not My Name

The summer after I graduated from high school, I noticed that I had a speech problem. Although it seems strange to develop a speech impediment at the age of eighteen, that's what happened to me. When I went to camp that summer, I noticed that people kept misunderstanding one word that I said--that word being my own name. This had never happened to me before, but it's happened regularly since.

"Madison." Or, as I say it, "Maaaaadison."

The problem stems from an improper pronunciation of the "a." Although I generally don't have a Southern twang, despite my Carolinian origins, I use the long Southern "a" when saying my name. I just can't seem to fix it.

Last week, I was at a babysitting interview with my friend Corinne. We both introduced ourselves to the mother, who then introduced us to her two-year-old twins.

"Come meet Corinne and Allison," Maura said.

For an entire hour, I didn't correct her. At this point, the Madison-Allison mistake is such a part of my daily life that I get tired of correcting it. At the end of the interview, Corinne referred to me by my actual name and Maura realized that she'd been calling me by the wrong name.

Allison is the most common mistake, but there have been many others. I've had Starbucks cups ranging from Mallison to Monica to Maxine to Motza to my personal favorite, Mabison.

"What an interesting name," the barista said.

"It's not that interesting,'" I thought.

Then, she handed me a cardboard cup with Mabison scrawled across the top. Indeed, Mabison is an interesting name.

The most peculiar name-confusion situation I've experienced, perhaps, was on a random date.

January before last, I went on a quick weekend trip home to see my newborn nephew. I flew out of JFK for the first time, and I was not exactly sure how to get there on the train. Because I'm not the savviest of travelers (I once sat in the middle of an airport bawling because my flight was canceled, and I've missed two buses going out of town in the past week), I asked the mid-twenties man standing next to me if I was on the right train.

"Yes," he said.

When the train reached our stop, he showed me how to get on the AirTran and even paid for me to go through. We chatted for a few minutes on the AirTran, until he reached his stop. As he was getting off the AirTran, he asked me if I'd like to get coffee sometime, so I gave him my number.

He put his hand out.

"I'm Matt, by the way," he said.

"I'm Maaaaadison," I said.

He looked puzzled as he stepped onto the platform, and I knew that he had misunderstood my name.

A few days later, I met Matt (Disclaimer: I do not usually go on dates with random men) for coffee at one of my favorite coffee spots in the city--Stumptown in Ace Hotel. Generally, you order coffee at the little coffee bar at the front of the hotel and then sit in the swanky lobby.

This particular evening, however, the hotel was having some kind of mixer in the lobby, and people were everywhere. Matt and I both ordered Americanos and then unsuccessfully attempted to find seats. We kept bumping into people, and, after I spilled half my Americano on myself, we went back to the coffee bar to stand and chat--for three hours.

He assured me that he was not a creep and that he had never before asked anyone from a train out on a date. As the coffee date progressed, however, I noticed that he had not called me by name. He left to use the restroom.

"Now, I have to ask you a question," he said when he came back. "How do you spell your name?"

"Whatever you think my name is is not my name," I said (which, looking back, is a creepy response). "What do you think my name is?"

He hesitated. "Is it...Maxim?" he said. "M-A-X-I-M?"

I laughed, shook my head, and, of course, told him my name.

A few days later, Matt asked me to go to dinner. I declined. You should never trust a man who thinks your name is "Maxim."

How To...Make Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms

For dinner tonight, Avery and I made easy and delicious stuffed portabello mushrooms.

Ingredients:

-portabello mushrooms

-fresh spinach

-bread crumbs

-sliced red onion

-vinaigrette dressing of choice (We used Trader Joe's Tuscan Italian with Balsamic Vinegar)

-crumbled feta cheese (We used Trader Joe's Mediterranean blend)

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°.

Step 2: Cut stems off mushrooms and gut them.

Step 3: Layer feta cheese, spinach, and red onion slices. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top and drizzle dressing.

Step 4: Place on an aluminum foil-covered pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes (or until soft).

Pair with some hearty bread and a side salad. Yum!

Oh-Snap: Central Park Conservatory Garden

Last spring, I stumbled upon the Conservatory Garden at the north end of Central Park (105th Street and 5th Ave). I love it--love, love, love, love it! It opened in 1937 and features six acres of seasonal plants, arranged in English, French, and Italian styles.

Today, I returned to the blooming garden with my lovely friend Ariana. Oh-snap, I hope you enjoy these photos!

Things I Like: Emack and Bolio's

Emack and Bolio's is a Boston-based, homemade ice-cream shop with a rock-n-roll vibe.

There happens to be a location very close to my apartment, at 81st Street and First Avenue, and I can already tell that E&B ice cream is going to be a daily temptation for me (and my roommate Avery) this summer.

It's just so good! Tonight I tried Bleeding Hearts--vanilla ice-cream with raspberry swirls and dark and white chocolate truffles. Yum!

There are also locations at 73 West Houston Street and at Amsterdam Avenue (between 78th and 79th Streets).

S'mores Cake in a Jar

My friend Charlotte sent me the link to this recipe for s'mores cake in a jar a few months ago. I've been dying to try it! Summer will be the perfect time to try these treats out (maybe in smaller jars), since campfires are few and far between in the city.

Yum!

Mad Eye Mads is back!

Although it's pouring down rain in New York City and still a bit chilly outside, summer vacation has begun.

With summer comes the time to blog!

Check back here regularly for new posts. Over the next three months, I'll be posting about etiquette, craft and decorating projects (My roommate Avery and I are in the middle of an apartment overhaul!), cooking, and things I like. I'll also have a few special photo projects and some lengthier pieces of writing.

I'm very excited to be spending the summer in the city, working at a florist on the Upper West Side (81st and Columbus!). It's a tiny, family-owned florist, and I should be doing a lot of arrangements, which will be splendid. The photo below is of an arrangement I did for a formal event back in April.

Ground Hog Day is Upon Us.

The weather here is absolutely gross. I'm so tired of all the slush. Yuk!

Tomorrow is Groundhog Day. Will Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow? If he does, there will be six more weeks of winter. And, if not, spring is on its way!

I've only seen the movie Groundhog Day once. I thought it was hilarious, but I don't think I can handle watching it ever again.

Looking for more information about Groundhog Day? Here's the official website.

Piano Bar(s)

Today, I ran across this quirky article about a stranded piano in the New York Times.

And, speaking of piano bars, I really love this one in New York--Bill's Gay Nineties. It's a tiny former speakeasy that draws an older crowd, but it's so much fun! I must go there soon.

And look at this Etsy dress! How funny. I might have to get this little baby for my spring piano recital.

Have a Sleepy Monday.

I've failed at blogging this past week for several reasons, among them being that I'm getting back in the swing of things at school, that I can't find my camera cord (and, therefore, can't upload any photos), and that I was feeling under the weather over the weekend.

From Thursday evening to Sunday, I had a short bout of sickness. Without fail, I get sick every time I get fewer than seven hours of sleep three consecutive nights in a row (I certainly wasn't made for the college life).

I've been trying to be better about sleeping these past few nights, and it made me think of how many beautiful (old and new!) lullabies there are out there. I wish I were home to sing to these two cuties (my nephews)!

Some of my favorites are...

The sweet father-daughter song, Lullaby (Goodnight, My Angel) by Billy Joel.

The classic All the Pretty Little Horses.

And, I have to admit that I've been kind of obsessed lately with Taylor Swift's Never Grow Up.

Also, check out these awesome lullaby renditions of rock songs!

Francophile

Yesterday, I applied for a new passport, so I can go to Paris for two weeks in May! I'm still looking for a traveling companion, by the way, so if you're interested in touring Paris, let me know (serious inquiries only, ;).

In the spirit of preparing for this trip, I thought I'd share some fabulous Frenchy things.

A clip from the beautiful 1956 French film, Le Ballon Rouge, directed by Albert Lamorisse. It's about a red balloon that follows a little boy around Paris. So wonderful.

A pretty pillow that says "Je t'aime."

An article about how part of Versailles is being transformed into a luxury hotel! Those will be expensive rooms, for sure.

And lastly, a catchy little rhyme that I remember from taking French back in high school--"Paris, Paris, qu'est que c'est Paris? Ce n'est pas comme les villes en Etats-Unis."

Things I Like: Watches

Today, I was reminded of just how much I like watches. I got the batteries replaced in three (!) that had been sitting idle in my jewelry box. Watches are so fun to wear and a much classier way to tell the time than looking at your cell phone. How fun would it be if men still carried pocket watches?

If you're looking for a new watch, check out this cute typewriter watch from Urban Outfitters, this vintage-looking watch cuff from Anthropologie, or these fun monochrome watches from Swatch.

Yummy Brunch Food by Noble Pig

My brother-in-law Kris made these cinnamon doughnut muffins yesterday morning for my sister Jessica's 30th birthday breakfast (how sweet!). I think they look scrumptious, and I can't wait to make them (paired with a fruit salad and scrambled eggs, perhaps?) for brunch one Sunday when I get back to the city. The recipe is compliments of Noble Pig, a really cool recipe blog that Kris and Jess introduced me to a while back. The recipe calls for jam, but Kris used Nutella as filling, too, which sounds awesome to me. The only Noble Pig recipe that I've tried before is this smoky buttermilk ranch dressing (which would be great paired with this buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese!), but almost everything on the site looks absolutely delicious.

Oh-Snap. Sweetgrass.

Charleston is famous for hand woven sweetgrass baskets, which are sold at the market and on the side of the street. Here's a shot of the sweetgrass.

Oh Snap. St. Matthew's Lutheran Church.

Here are some more pretty photos of Charleston's downtown St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, established in 1840. I love the red door!

Oh-Snap. College of Charleston.

The College of Charleston, founded in 1770, is the oldest municipal college in America. I went to Governor's School on its campus several summers ago. Here are a few shots of its beautiful campus (a little different from the basement campus in which my college, The King's College, resides!)

Charleston, SC--where history lives.

Last Thursday, I went to my favorite Southern city, Charleston, SC, for a few days and took a technology hiatus, which explains the lack of posts.

Charleston is a lovely historic coastal town. I got to spend an entire month there when I was seventeen, and I've been in love with it ever since. It's got it all--yummy seafood, a rich pirating and Civil War history, beautiful surrounding beaches, and stunning architecture!

We stayed downtown at the luxurious Charleston Place and ate twice at Hyman's, a famous Charleston seafood joint. Hyman's is a Charleston tradition, and tons of celebrities have eaten there (The tables have small plaques listing who has dined at your table. I ate at both Raven Simone's and Michael Phelps's spots.)

The next several posts will feature some snapshots of the weekend and some more information about Charleston--"where history lives."

The Sketchbook Project

Last winter, I went out to Brooklyn to view The Sketchbook Project, an AMAZING art exhibit. It's coming back to Brooklyn February 19-27, so mark your calendars!

The Sketchbook Project is a collection of thousands of Moleskin journals that have been sent to artists all over the country. Each artist fills out the Moleskin according to a theme. Last year, some of the themes included "Elephant in the Room" and "From a Worm's Perspective."

The only rules are that the artist must do something to the sketchbook and that the sketchbook has to stay within its original dimensions.

The Sketchbook Project is set-up like a library. Each sketchbook has a bar-code, and you get a temporary "library card" at the exhibit. You can check out two books at a time for viewing.

After The Sketchbook Project tour has ended, the books are cataloged at The Brooklyn Art Library. You can check out last year's sketchbooks there, if you're interested.

I'll definitely be going to this exhibit in February, so if you'd like to come along, let me know!

Things I Like: e-Audiobooks from NYPL

A few months ago, I discovered that you can check out e-audio books on the NYPL website (www.nypl.org), if you have a New York Public Library card.

Not only can you listen to these on your computer, you can also download them to your iPod!

I currently have Eat, Pray, Love on my iPod and am about to download The Screwtape Letters.

You'll need to download the OverDrive Media Console program to be able to get the books.

I love to listen to these when I'm falling asleep. Sometimes, it's just so nice to listen instead of reading.

Passion 2011

A few years ago, I went to the Passion conference in Atlanta, GA, and it was an amazing couple of days. Passion is a Christian conference organization that caters to college students around the nation and around the world.

Although I didn't get to go this year, I just found out that there is a free live stream of this year's sessions. Passion 2011 ends tomorrow, but there are a few sessions left, which you can find here.

Enjoy!

Things I Like: New York books

I've been in South Carolina for two weeks now, which has been lovely. I am, inevitably, getting a little city-sick, however. If you, too, are in need of a little "New York away from New York," check out Here is New York by E.B. White.

Written during the sizzling summer of 1948, Here is New York is a beautiful snapshot of the city. It's short--only 56 pages. I used to read this essay on the plane ride every time I traveled to and from New York.

Another New York book I love is the wonderfully-illustrated This is New York by M. Sasek. It's part of M. Sasek's This is... children's book series. You can check out the Czech author and illustrator's other work here. I just got two copies of these for my nephews.

Things I Like: light brown boots.

Last week, I went on a search for a perfect pair of light brown boots.

I found these--Candence by Steve Madden (stevemadden.com and piperlime.com), and I LOVE them. Comfy, cute, and they go with almost everything.