Wilderness

Summer plans. There's this thing about New York, when it gets warm, we come alive. It's as if everyone's been hibernating and how we're all waking up, stretching out and seeing the sun and we're ready to take it all in. Your head fills with images of piers and beaches and brunches in the sun. You're all about ice cream and an open fire hydrant. You look longingly at shorts in displays and buy a new pair of sunglasses that make you look just like Sophia Loren! I love summer in New York.

But one of the best parts is getting out of New York! And that's why my girls and I are planning a trip to my parents lake house. A weekend trip for all of us at the end of the summer. And we are going all out! First we're borrowing a friends cousin's minivan so we can pack all 8 or so of us! We're also having a fundraiser to pay for the ever increasing price of gas! We're going to have a Williamsburg Lemonade Stand/Bake Sale/Kissing Booth! Hurray. Then we'll spend a few days sunning, playing in the water, hiking the gully, eating homemade food and drinking local wine and enjoying some quality girl time! Ahhh, this is the life...

Wilderness- Middle Brother

Penny Saver: Cheery Morning

I am not a morning person. But I do have to, thanks to classes and the little dog, wake up quite early. I've put in place a series of little things to cheer me up because of this, so I thought, since some of you may not be morning people, that I would share. First, my morning cup of coffee. I prefer it done with a french press but it doesn't always happen, however the addition of my favourite mug helps elevate any cup of joe(by the by my mug is white with pink polka dots).
This is my second secret weapon. During the winter my sensitive skin gets terribly dry, this is the only thing I've found that helps. It's very heavy and yeh, it's yellow, but it gives you a gorgeous glow and keeps your skin quenched all day. Just remember to let it soak in before you put on your makeup(you might want to enjoy your coffee while you wait).
This is my final weapon against blustery winter mornings, grapefruit lotion. It makes me happy. It's cheerful and bright smell makes me grin even on the grossest winter morning.

Anyways, those are my weapons against morning(particularly winter mornings which are the toughest) what are yours?

Penny Saver: Coffee Time!!

I haven't done a Penny Saver in awhile. But with the holidays coming up I know we're all looking for ways to pinch our pennys(and I don't just mean at the Black Friday Sales). Now I know you all know I'm a coffee feind so let me introduce you to my little Penny Saver, Goya brand espresso. Some of you may scoff at the simple Goya brand, but I swear by it. I love their black beans for soups and beans and rice and their Sazon Goya is the perfect seasoning for just about everything and now I've discovered their coffee and lemme tell you I'm sold. At just $4 a can this is a bargain and its rich, delicious flavor is nothing to scoff at.

Got Penny Savers of your own???? I'd love to hear them and if you don't mind, share them.

Penny Saver: Little Luxuries

OK, this isn't really a Penny Saver per say.  But at the same time it is.  This is about your little luxuries, the little things you splurge on that you know you love and in the end stop you from buying 10 cheap things that maybe you don't love.  My little luxuries are as follows...

Burberry Brit Perfume: I love the subtle vanilla scent, I wear it all fall and winter and it always makes me smile.

Fresh Cosmetics Gloss Absolute:  At $25 for an itty bitty bit this is a big splurge, but I hate lip gloss and this is the only one I will actually wear.  Besides having gorgeous colors, they are the perfect non sticky texture, they are slightly plumping and they're moisturizing.  What more could I ask?

A glass(or bottle) of champagne every once in awhile.  My loving mother and I share an affliction.  Champagne addiction, every once in awhile when I've had a particularly bad day I will haul my tired self to the liquor store and pick up a bottle of reasonably priced but tasty champagne, personally I like Korbel.  I will then traipse on home, pop the cork, grab myself some form of chocolate and relax.  Since I don't do this very often I don't feel one bit guilty about watching chick flicks and downing a bottle of bubbly all by my lonesome.  Hey, I deserve it.

The Lake House

Sometimes we all just need to get away.  I'm feeling that urge to do something classically American with my classically un-American roommates.  My parents own a lake house up in Ithaca New York and I'm thinking a good old fashion road trip to a cabin on a lake is just what we all need for end of summer bonding, mind clearing and general merriment.  The lake provides such entertainment as a boat, jet ski, canoe, kayak and a hot tub.  All the things one needs to bond with ones friends and clear ones mind.  Also, it's free to stay there!  Things this weekend in Boston were heavy, confusing and while a lot was discussed not a lot of decided.  

The reality is that my man is older than I am and is at the point in his life where he's ready to start settling down and thinking marriage.  I on the other hand have yet to graduate college and start a career.  I'm not sure I'm ready to make such a drastic commitment when I'm not even sure where I want to live and what I want to do.  That said, I'm not ready to give up on the relationship either.  I think I need some time to clear my head, get back to my roots a bit and enjoy being a care free 22 year old.  
I think floating on some silent water and enjoying cheap beer with beloved friends is just the way to do that.  However, if any of you have advice, words of encouragement or personal experience to share, I would love to hear it.

What I'm Listening To:

Fire Escape- Diane Birch

Penny Saver: Get Frisky!

My favourite Penny Saver, getting frisky!  I don't know about you but when I'm broke the first thing to go is the gym membership, ok, I don't even have a gym membership, but if I did that would be the first to go.  Who needs the gym when there's so much pretty man candy walking around to get sweaty with?  Now I' not advocating you all run around finding the first man you can find and get naughty, though I'm not against that either.  But if you've got a hunnie then you should certainly get busy! 

Sex is great, it's good for your health, gets rid of headaches, burns tons of calories, makes you kinda high, clears your skin, does the dishes, ok ok, it doesn't do that, but it does make you that pretty pink color and it's free!  But remember, and I know, I'm not trying to lecture, but always always always use protection!  At Halsey Kingdom we have what we affectionately call the Condom Boat at the bottom of the stairs, it's a sculpture of a boat which contains condoms for the house.  It also reasonably proclaims that "we don't want no Halsey babies so wrap it up and enjoy".  

What I'm Listening To:

40 Boys in 40 Nights- The Donnas

P.S.  I work with the Donnas as well and they just started an amazing tour with Pat Benetar and Blondie, really worth checking out for some serious girl power.

Penny Saver: Movie Night

Now, I told you that Halsey Kingdom doesn't have cable, but that doesn't mean we don't do family movie nights!  In fact, we have movie nights all the time!  Now, we have Netflix, but really, you could do movie night any way you want, borrowing from friends or those handy redbox things are a great way to save a pretty penny.  Since Halsey Kingdom also doesn't have a living room or a couch, family movie night means all of us piling into one bed, snuggling up with some beers and some popcorn and putting on a flick.  One of my roommates is really into scary movies so so far we've watched Grindhouse, The Toxic Avenger and that show Dexter.  But we've also had a girls movie night where all the ladies piled into bed and giggled through Twilight.  Movie nights are a great, cheap way to hang out with your friends and relax.  Got movies I should see?  Tell me!

What I'm Watching: Lars and the Real Girl

Penny Saver: Read A Book

So, here's the thing, Halsey Kingdom doesn't have cable.  Or even TV's for that matter.  And while this was a bit odd to get used to at first, I do love me some SVU after work, it has turned out to be rather a blessing.  Not having TV has allowed me to rediscover long forgotten hobbies, one of them being reading.  

Now, I have always loved reading, but it always came second to school and work and friends and sleep.  That doesn't leave much time for reading.  Add in the ever present distraction of the likes of David Boreanez on Bones and frankly, I'll see you on the couch.  But now, sans TV, I am enjoying all the joys of getting lost in a book.  My mother was kind enough to order me a number of books from amazon and send a few of her own so I'm moving through them at an enjoyable speed.  

The other great thing about reading, besides the mind expanding, it's free!  Reading doesn't ask you to pay a bill to entertain you and with places like amazon or used book stores you can buy books dirt cheap.  Or, you can go old school and head over to the library, ahh the smell of old  books.  Don't forget trading books with your friends too, my room more or less functions as the Halsey Kingdom library.

What I'm Reading:

Outlander- Diana Gabaldon (My mom fav book, it's a bit of a cheesy romance novel :)

Penny Saver: Pot Luck

In light of my recent post on surviving the depression I've decided to do another Penny Saver post.  This time it is in honor of the all mighty pot luck.  My roomies and I love to do Halsey Kingdom family dinner.  Since there's so many of us and such a tiny kitchen one person takes charge of the meal and one helps with chopping and such.  We all split the groceries and the booze and often invite from friends to bring along some food and booze as well.  We usually end up with left overs.  Pot lucks are not only a great way to save money but they're a great way to spend time with your friends and enjoy some good food.

What I'm Listening To:

L'amoureuse- Carla Bruni

The Motor(less) City

These pictures are from the blog The Motor(less) City which documents the many abandoned houses and businesses in what is swiftly becoming the ghost town of Detroit.  I don't know about you but whenever I drive by old beautiful houses that are just falling to ruin it breaks my heart a little bit.  I love old architecture so much I want to see it all restored and made beautiful again.  It seems pretty clear that the auto industry as we knew it(much the same as my own industry, music) will never be the same.  That said, the property prices in Detroit have got to be rock bottom.  I vote for a mass exodus to Detroit!  We can all buy big old houses and create a young and vibrant artists community with space for music, art, culture and more.  It's time to give Detroit it's renaissance.  Also, I want a big old house.

What I'm Listening To:

Damn, Sam- Ryan Adams

Penny Saver: Pretty Digits

OK, so I was sooo excited about my boyfriend coming to visit me in NY for the first time that I could hardly sit still.  I decided to distract myself by giving myself a nice mani pedi and catching up on some old One Tree Hill episodes(blog world please don't tell anyone I watch that, I'm embarrassed enough as it is!).  It occurred to me that besides being a great way to pamper oneself and calm down a bit, painting your own nails is a great Penny Saver.  I know, I know, everyone says this and I frankly never buy it cause mine always come out so crappy.  The difference I've discovered is how much time and effort you put in.  What do you love about getting your nails done, besides the obvious pretty nails part, it's the pampering!  The time where you can't do anything else cause hey, your nails are wet.  That's what we ladies(and gents) love about getting our weekly mani pedi.  So I say, don't just slap on a coat of too old, sticky middle school pink.  Luxuriate, enjoy it, relax.  This Penny Saver is really about taking time for the most important person in your life, Y-O-U.

Stuff Like This Is Why I Moved...

Thanks to the wonderful Joanna Goddard of Cup of Jo blog I am now aware of one of the most glorious things I have ever heard.  The Domino Magazine Tag Sale.  Now, I loved Domino, it was the only magazine I read religiously and subscribed to.  Mind you, the month after I subscribed it tragically folded.  Thanks economy.  

But, this my friends is the silver lining.  The, what I assume are disgruntled, staff of Domino are selling off the lovely leftovers of the magazines prop department.  And for really cheap might I add!  Nothing is over $500 and most of it is under $10.  Yes, I said t-e-n.  Could I get a better welcoming to the big city?  When is it you say?  It is TOMORROW!  It starts at 10am and goes till 5 and is located in the garden apartment at 13 West 9th.  I'll see you all there!

Garage Sale Season

Garage sale season is my favorite.  Last year I managed to get to my hometown for garage sale weekend and picked up a cute white patio set for my front porch.  I love to grab a few girlfriends in the summer and head out to the suburbs like the lovely seaside town of Ipswich and hit the beach, grab some lunch and wine and head over to a few garage sales.  This day also generally involves an impromptu picnic in a field near my favorite organic, wind powered orchard and food shop.  Garage sales are always the best place to find cool odds and ends.  When I was a kid living in England they had a weekend "boot" sale where everyone would come to a big field and sale whatever they had out of the back of their car.  It was glorious.  

What I'm Listening To:

Girls of Summer- Aerosmith (guilty pleasure)

Dandelion

Call me crazy but I love dandelions.  I think they are the most ignored of the wild flowers.  What's so wrong with dandelions?  They're happy yellow, wildly abundant just about everywhere and they don't cost a thing(also no one cares if you pick them).  I've currently got a lovely bouquet of dandelions sitting in a tea pot on my happy yellow kitchen table and I think they look just lovely.  So don't turn your nose up at these little posies, go on, pick a bunch and enjoy.

P.S.  Wild flowers are a great way to go green!

What I'm Listening To:

Dandelion- The Rolling Stones

Penny Saver: Spice Up Your Morning

Looking to spice up your morning coffee without dropping the big bucks on a Starbucks calorie fest?  Here's an awesome recipe from Eat Make Read called Mexican Coffee...

Mexican Coffee
from Extending the Table

1 cinnamon stick
3 Tablespoons sugar*
4 cups coffee

1
Place the sugar and cinnamon stick at the bottom of the coffee pot and brew the coffee.
2
Once the coffee has brewed, let it steep for 10 minutes on the burner.
3
Pour and enjoy!

*You can use less sugar or none at all if that’s your thing.

I'm off to make a cup right now.  Enjoy!

What I'm Listening To:

Absolutely Cuckoo- The Magnetic Fields

Penny Saver: Flowers

I don't know about you, but I love fresh flowers.  And sadly since my thumb seems to be a rather sallow shade of yellow my potted flowers don't always work out.  When I find wild flowers I'm more than happy to pick them, but sadly, living in Boston, this does not happen very often.  So this brings me to my penny saving tip...Daisies.  Occasionally my loving boyfriend will pick me up flowers at the grocery store(generally this goes with him making brunch, yum) and last time he did this he picked up some simple, pretty, white daisies.  Those suckers are going on a month now and they look as gorgeous as day one.  Moral of the story?  If you love fresh flowers but can't afford to splurge on fancy roses, then daisies are you're prettiest and longest lasting bet.  They smell great too!