Ten on Tuesday

Happy September! I hope everyone had an awesome long weekend (well, those of you in the States, anyway).

I haven't done one of these in awhile but here are ten random questions (from the Roots and Rings blog) for this gloomy Tuesday morning.

1. What is your favorite Pixar movie? Have you seen all of them?It’s a tie between Monsters, Inc. and Up.  I have seen all of them except for Ratatouille and Brave.

2. Do you enjoy soccer?

Yes, it’s exciting to watch and even more exciting to play! It was the sport I always secretly wished I could play when I was in school.

3. Are you musical?

Yes. I love to sing! Also I played the flute and piano through middle school and high school.

4. How many push-ups can you do?

Like 10. So, try not to be impressed with my massive upper body strength.

5. Did you have braces when you were younger?

Yes, I suffered through a year of metal mouth.  I think anyone who didn’t have braces during their childhood missed out on a classic character building experience.  Nothing humbles you quite like grinning at people all day, only realize hours later that you had a huge chunk of broccoli wedged in your braces for all to see.

6. Summer or winter? Coffee or tea? Wedges or flats?

Actually I prefer spring and fall…less extreme temperatures.

TEA. All day, errday.

Wedges.

7. Do you buy new or used cars?

I have not yet purchased a car on my own but used is the way to go. The minute you drive it off the lot, it's worth less than what you paid for so why would anyone buy a brand new car?

8. Are you afraid of needles?

No, I don’t mind them at all. In fact, I think I would have gone into the medical field, were it not for my huge distaste for bodily fluids.

9. Do you get cranky when you’re tired or hungry?

Yes.

My friend Jillian coined the term that unfortunately applies to me on a regular basis: hangry. You know when you get so hungry you are filled with a blinding rage that is only mitigated by a sandwich? That is hangry.  And I suppose I also get cranky when I’m tired but if I’m too far gone, I get really really goofy. Like slapstick, soft-shoe dancing goofy.  It’s embarrassing.

10. Write your newest favorite recipe.

I haven't had a new favorite in a while but here are a few recipes from my Pinterest food board that I would like to try over the next couple of weeks:

Smore Bars

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts

Pretzel Rolls

Ten on Tuesday: Summer

 Ten Favorites from my Summer:

(1) La mer (the sea)

(2) NoDa neighborhood in Charlotte, NC

(3) Biking

(4) Painting

(5) Sunset in Front Royal, VA

(6) Seeing my sister for the first time in months

(7) Kayaking

(8) everything's better with cousins

(9) laying under Sun-dappled trees

(10) Hammocks, always

Ten on Tuesday - Perfection

1. What’s the perfect meal ?Let's talk about my last birthday dinner in Switz. It was pretty near perfect.
First, apero (aperitif) in the garden : cut veggies and homemade dip, tiny tomatoes and mozzarella balls on a stick dipped in a lovely basil olive oil and a little glass of vin blanc. Second, dinner in the house: mixed greens with homemade dressing, prosciutto and melon, and brochettes (kebabs) on the grill.
Third, terribly lovely chocolate cake, made from scratch and topped with little candies that spelled out my name.
Most excellent, merci again Audrey!

2. What are the perfect pair of shoes?
Something that is comfortable, classy, and pairs well with multiple outfits. Haven't yet found such a combination under $100. Oh wait, yes I have, just can't justify buying them. Come to me, my pretties:

TOMS red wrap boots

also these:

J.Jill grey wingtip flats

3. What is the perfect afternoon?
iced tea, the latest New Yorker, poolside, with a good friend

4. What's the perfect house?
Somewhere there are lots of trees and an ocean/lake view. Big windows with working shutters. Wooden shingle siding, wraparound porch, mansard roof. A wood-burning fireplace. Massive kitchen, heated floors. Enough room to put up friends and visitors. But the thing that makes a house perfect is who is inside. awww.


5. What's the perfect outfit?
skirt, ruffled blouse, jeweled flats
add tights and peacoat for winter.
you're welcome.

6. What's the perfect wedding song?
"Love You Madly" by Cake
I don't know, do I look like I'd have music at my wedding?

7. What's the perfect job?
Something that makes you say "I can't believe I get paid to do this." It doesn't feel like work because you love it so much.

8. What's the perfect hairstyle?
I'm a long hair fain: a low side bun. or a fishtail braid. executed perfectly, of course.

turquoise highlights optional

9. What's the perfect music festival?
I hate being anywhere there are massive crowds of people so a music festival where I was the only attendee? Hey, no one said these answers had to be realistic

10. What's the perfect day to yourself?
Picnic basket, notebook, camera, tunes, sunnies, lake.

As always, Ten on Tuesday credit goes to:

Ten on Tuesday

--

1. Have you ever used Craigslist?
No. It's creepy. And full of untruths: I know your "vintage walnut chest of drawers" is actually an 80s era chipboard IKEA dresser, painted dark brown. Stop lying.


2. Can you sew?
Yes. Now should I sew is another question. I spent horrific amounts of money and time making a skirt last summer that is hideous and entirely too big.

3. Do you pour syrup on your pancakes or dip your pancakes in the syrup?
I pour the syrup on top, just enough to soak in a little and then dip the bottom in the syrup on my plate. A highly technical but delicious method of consumption.

4. Rain storms: Love them or hate them?
Love them when I'm inside and it's my turn to mow the grass. Hate them when I'm at the pool. 

5. Do you like swimming?
I do. I would prefer if the bathing costumes of the 1920s were in fashion, nevertheless, swimming is a pleasing pastime. It can also be a great workout, if one is so inclined. I'm usually not.

6. What kind of drink do you order at Sonic?
They closed the Sonic in my town while I was away, weep weep. But Cherry Limeade. Sweet, tart, slushy goodness in a cup. Now with real limes and cherries.

7. Are you funny?
I'm actually terribly serious most of the time, but no one seems to understand that. 

8. At what age will your kids get cell phones?
In the distant future on the planet Klaxorr, cell phones will be obsolete so my children will call and "voice-text" their friends from the command center in their space helmets. So as soon as they can talk. 

9. What’s your favorite vegetable?
Huge fan of pumpkin. Also zucchini.

10. Were you a Girl Scout?
No. But that doesn't stop me from buying their cookies to support their yearly drive to raise....what is it they sell the cookies for again?

Ten on Tuesday

I'm all about the list posts, so here's another one. I first spotted this on Rainy Saturday, who got it from Roots and Rings. That's the blog life, folks. One big share circle.

5.17.11 This is a photo edition of Ten on Tuesday. Post a photo of each of the following:

1. Your favorite piece of furniture in your home
My white wicker dresser with the matching mirror and bedside table. When I was ten, Pier 1 Imports was my favorite store. I saw this set there and fell in love. Oh how I begged and begged.  Much to my surprise (and delight!), I came home from school one day to find it in my bedroom.

2. Your favorite thing on your wall
My fictional Civil War husband and fellow Urban Outfitters lover sent me this giant canvas print for my birthday last year. Thanks Horace/Jilly.

3. Your bed as it looks right now
I have trouble making my bed. Ever. So I'd be lying if I showed you anything but this. Even though, out of guilt, I totally made it after taking the picture.

4. Your pantry.
I currently live with my parents, so here's my mom's. (Don't be mad, it's organized!)  Things you learn about my family from this picture: apparently we store the onions in the crock pot. Good to know. Also, based on the number of kid cereals, there is clearly a 7-year old in residence. Actually, my personal pantry would probably look the same. Cereal is at the top of my personal food pyramid.

5. Your favorite piece of jewelry

Watches. always. My favorite is my gray Swatch (duh, it's Swiss), but I have a terrible feeling it is lost in Massachusetts because I haven't seen it since then. So here is my next favorite: a rad stripey Target timepiece.

6. Your favorite book

Let's be real. Picking a favorite book is like a mother picking a favorite child. Secretly she has one, but doesn't want to share for fear of hurting the others' feelings. So here's a stack of recent favorites:
Leaves of Grass (poetry)
The Mind of the South (nonfiction)
cupcakes! (recipes)
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (the most unclassic of Austen remakes)
Old Friends and New Fancies (the original Austen spinoff)

7. Your most comfortable shirt
 Worst picture ever? yes. It is impossible to successfully photograph the back of oneself.  But this is the shirt my Swiss brothers made me. They put their hand prints on it and their mother wrote "Ton Fan-Club" (your fan club) above and their names below (Levio and Nolan). On the front it has the Swiss cross. adorable!

8. Your messiest room
If we're being honest, it's my brother's "man cave" in the basement. But in an effort to keep the peace, here is my desk in artful disarray.  Your secret is safe with me, Sam.

9. Your house shoes
The comfiest slippers you'll ever find. A gift from my dear cousin, to warm my feet on that cold English afternoon.

10. Yourself
 ::enthusiastic wave:: what a dork.