Things I Love Thursday: 7.31.08

♥ Bienvenue, Chere! ♥ Welcome to another week, and a week that I've got a lot of things to love!

The unimitable ♥ Doe Deere ♥ (featured left). I've been meaning to write about her incredible first, self-released album (and how it's music for the people: she has digital copies available for free for those who are pinching pennies in this tight recession!), and now she has the great new Doe Deere Blogazine. I've been a great fan of the tour de force behind Doe Deere (Xenia) for years, and I'm excited to see all of the projects she is coming out with.

♥ Home Cooking ♥ As le faux beau is out of town for his Brother's wedding, I've been left to my own devices. Mainly eating in & hanging out at home. As much as I love good quality time with him, it's been wonderful to make delish dishes at home! From penne alfredo to jambalaya to ghetto gourmet pizzas, my belly has been happy and feeling healthier!

♥ Family Ties ♥ Sometimes I take for granted the value of my family, but other times I cannot mistake their open hearts and generosity. Within the next few weeks to months, I should have a very special surprise arriving-- I don't want to jinx myself somehow, but perhaps a Mischief Mobile may be arriving soon...

♥ Six Feet Under ♥ I've finally found time to finish watching this series, and the way that Alan Ball presents the world is heartbreakingly tragic, beautiful, and epically touching. The relationships to the spiritual world and physical world are amazing, as are the relationships and changes that the characters undergo. It really makes me reflective on my own life, and at times a bit depressed to think of it all. (And I just found out one of my undergrad professors is teaching a course on it!)

Your turn, chere! Tell me what things you love this week (or if you need a break, tell me what you're really wanting to snark about ;) )

And don't forget-- tomorrow is the deadline for the Fabulous Festival! Submit your wonderful articles, blogs, thoughts-- I'd love to have a wonderful selection in thanks to Miss Meg for letting me host again!

Squeak! TiLT! [7.3.08]

Yikes, I'm 35 minutes late on Things I Love Thursday! Can you blame me though, for starting my July 4th weekend a wee bit early? (Or leaving work a bit early, too? ;) )

On to the love!
(And there is so much to love this week!)

The Farmer's Market How much do I love it! In Bloomington, it represents the best of the city: buskers, musicians, Amish & Mennonites, fresh tamales, scones, duck eggs, lamb, elk, & buffalo meats, fresh fruits & veggies, home made maple syrup, and amazing coffee. It always smells magical.

Boxer Briefs! I bought these in lieu of my need for bike shorts (as a practical thing to wear under dresses, so as to go sans tights). And would you know, how comfy are these bastards? I don't understand why men complain at all; I'd wear them over tights & hose any day.

Second Interviews Keep your fingers crossed, cheries! (Or give love to your favorite god or goddess.) I am very excited about this job opportunity, and the extra weekend day is driving me insane (one less day I will find out!). So let's send major mojo my way-- it'd be an amazing early birthday present!

Secret Cheats! If you follow my Twitter, you will know that I'm in phase one of the South Beach Diet (which I will discuss more on later). But I have to say, I love the days when I can cheat just a little! Lunch with a friend, a lazy night of pizza, or walking to get an ice cream. I don't mind if I don't lose an extra few pounds, if it means keeping my sanity a bit more!

Green Tea with Jasmine is one of my most favorite teas ever! (Especially delicious with blackberry added in, too.) I've been drinking a glass of this a day, and it is an enjoyable way to start my mornings-- more refreshing than coffee and probably more healthy, too.

Happiness Abounds With the rare exception of a PMS induced Sunday, I have been feeling an abundance of positive and happy energy my way. Is it astronomical? Is it hormonal, or perhaps a reaction to the diet? I'm not sure, but I love having such a nice balance of mind. Now if only I weren't so darn sleepy all of the time!

& the best for last....

La Mamacita! My mother is owed huge amounts of love this week (and every week!). As a single mother, she had to make sacrifices, and I know how she always wanted to give me more than she could. So I always appreciate it, even as an adult, when she manages to provide me with little treats, visits, and signs of her love. I'm especially smitten with the emails she has sent recently telling me how proud she is of me. <3 <3 <3


Is there anything particularly spectacular that you love this week, or any fantastic & fun events going on in your lives? For those in the U.S., have a wonderful (and safe) 4th of July! Happy belated Canada Day to those North of the Border.

Things I Love Thursday: 5.15.08

The Economic Stimulus Check Edition:
Today's edition of "Things I Love Thursday is dedicated to the beautiful things, both big and small, that I wish I could dedicate my U.S. government provided economic stimulus check to. In reality, it's probably going towards debt & groceries, because I've got a pizza, water, and barbeque sauce sitting in my fridge.

Miu Miu's Floral carved sandals from Net-A-Porter. I love the simplicity of the overall design of the shoe, combined with a distinct, beautiful, and complex heel. One of the charming aspects of this shoe is how I could see it incorporated in to the wardrobe for at least three out of four seasons. In the Fall they'd be lovely with a chunky tight and tweed skirt, while during the Summer and Spring they'd be the perfect heel to wear with all of those lightweight dresses. At $550, they aren't unreasonably priced for the quality and craftsmanship of this shoe. At $550, they're still a bit beyond my financial means (plus, I think my feet would just look fat in them).

Next up: Best Buy Video Sales. Great savings on movies always gets me-- going in to Best Buy is as dangerous as going in to Borders or Barnes & Noble. Right now they've got two of my favorite shows, The West Wing and Six Feet Under on Sale for $19.99 and $16.99 a season. Especially for Six Feet Under (which I've never seen on sale), those prices are AMAZING. There's a likelihood that part of my check may go to a few seasons.

New + Pretty Bras: Since picking up one at Trashy Diva's Lingerie store, I've kind of been in love with my Felina Bra. I'm looking to expand my pretty underthings with the Alexa Bra and the Victoria Bra.

Things I Love Thursday: 5.08.08

There's lot of excitement and change in the air! My life has been a whirlwind of job applications, approaching the final weeks of my internship, the changing of the season, and so much more!

While my feet and head are moving too quick for the rest of me to catch up, the world gets passed by so fast that I can't even stop to register things as favorites! Please, dears, tell me how you manage your time, because I always feel like Alice chasing the White Rabbit.

Firewater: A New Album and Back on Tour! Since they haven't released an album in several years, I haven't quite had the opportunity to talk about one of my favorite bands of all time, Firewater. After several years in Middle East and Asia, my favorite singer/songwriter Todd A. is back with a brand new album, The Golden Hour. Not only is there a glorious new album (featuring Balkan Beatboxing!), but they are on tour, and stopping in three Mischief-Friendly areas: Chicago, New Orleans, and Austin. At the very least, I hope to catch two of those shows!

Graduation! In just a few short weeks, following the last of my paperwork, I will receive my diploma for my M.A. in Arts Administration. While it may not mean the end of my educational career, it does mean the end of this book. And some lovely graduation presents coming, too!


Patrick Nagel! Thank you, Wendy B., for reminding me of my love of Nagel's work. It happened when I first discovered Duran Duran's "Rio," album, and have consequently wanted to dress up as the Cover Girl ("Rio" as I call her) for my Duran Duran Dance Party. Nagel women kind of remind me of the living embodiment of Robert Palmer women, how the live, what they wear, how they move, when they're not pouting with guitars.

Text-Based Browser Games! Yikes, geek alert! I love checking in on the progress of my nations in Ikariam or driving my little yellow semi, Bumblebee, in Trukz. Oh, the shame!

Purple! I'm absolutely crazy for dark orchid, royal and plummy shades of purple. Inspired by a dress that Alysan Hannigan wore in How I Met Your Mother, I've decided to construct a dress to wear to my upcoming summer weddings. And my Twitter and current computer background have been changed to this lovely image:



And More! Vladmaster: handmade Viewfinders!; Bourbon Chocolate Torta, a locally made goat cheese; farmer's markets on bright Spring days; Gala Darling's Crowing Your Beautiful Life t-shirt; Mid-Western thunderstorms; this Thoreau cuff bracelet; Peachy Pan's elaborate kanzashi's; Twin Peaks; Robert Downey Jr.; mass media consumption

Things I Love Thursday: 40308

It's been a hell of a last few weeks! In fact, I've been in such a downer of a mood, it's been hard to think up things I'm loving this week... nothing like forcing optimism on oneself, right?



♥ Hotel Rooms! There's nothing more gratifying than staying in a nice hotel room, in a city not your own. Fresh sheets, hot tubs, belgian waffles for breakfast, clean towels, down pillows and blankets, and a bed to sink in to... Le sigh, if only my own home were so cozy and refreshing!

♥ Playing Fashion Model for the lovely Libby of Exoskeleton Cabaret. Miss LB needed a couple of models to show off a few fall pieces for her Etsy Shop. Behold, in glorious day-glo technicolor a smirkful Ashe Mischief!


How do I love thee, cyberlox falls, let me count the ways...
you're bright and bouncy, shiny and shimmery, playful and pretty, lightweight and lovely.


Both of these amazing sets are available for sale; if I hadn't already three pairs of Libby-made falls, I'd be dying (more so) for the neon orange, yellow, and pink ones!

Hopefully, I will have more lovely images from the shoot to share soon, as well.

♥ Insomnia Cookies! With a broken oven this past week, I've had no way to satiate my sweet tooth or my baking desires! Luckily, Insomnia Cookies is a delivering bakery with brownies, cookies, and cookie cakes galore! At approximately $1 a piece (for delivery/taxes/cost) and a hefty portion size, these are a perfect way to satisfy my sweet tooth when it's too late to go to the store.

Things I Love Thursday: 3.27.08

Yikes! My world has been such a whirlwind these past few weeks, that I haven't had a few moments to sit down and set things out. Jumping on the bandwagon (and forcing myself to have more gratitude for the great-fulness of my life), I present the first Things I Love Thursday:



♥ Bienvenue en Louisiane! My boy friend & I went home for Saint Patrick's Day; while the trip was too short and too sleep deprived, it was wonderful to do the simple things again: listen to the sounds of the streetcar, ride the ferry, see snowball stands open, eat great Mediterranean food, have cabbage, carrots, & beads chucked at our heads, and get in some fantastic shopping.

♥ Energized Eyes Last week I had to pick up my first ever pair of glasses. Since I spend so much time at a computer for communication, work, and pleasure, my eyes, head, shoulders, and neck were getting a lot of the pain from it. I was prescribed a mild reading eyeglass, and I got these delightful Lucky Brand frames:



While my eyes are still adjusting, I do feel them straining less than they would without the glasses. Now I wonder... can I make an eyeglass chain look chic & hip, in a naughty secretary kind of way?

Also on that list! My new white Lolita-esque sunglasses! V. lovely, indeed, and perfect for the warming weather.

♥ My Darling Lo: My delightful, precocious, majestic and pesky kitten with the mostest, Lottie, is a constant amazing source in my life. Imp kitten, she is indeed.



♥ Supernatural Soundtracks: For the car ride to New Orleans, I made my boy friend & I a themed playlist on the Mischief-pod-- it was based around the classic rock hits from one of our favorite shows, Supernatural. Featuring AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Asia, Styx, Bob Dylan, Jefferson Airplane, Blue Oyster Cult, and more, this playlist got extra spooky on our trip home! A heavy thunderstorm and fog, a winding & tree encased country road, we half expected to see a ghost!

♥ Gilmore Girls Marathons: Between Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and now Gilmore Girls, I'm wondering how many other amazing shows from my teen years I missed out on the endings of! The boy friend and I have been thoroughly enjoying watching these the past few weeks; we're not up to season 5 and things are getting hot! Last night I just rewatched the episode featuring the "Life & Death Brigade," and am left with the urge to jump off a 7 story platform in a ball gown with an umbrella or to have overnight adventures in early 20th century garb.



♥ America's Best Dance Crew: While I'm missing Mtv, I enjoy capturing clips and snippets of this show. The dancing and performances are crazy, and Episode 5's ode to Michael Jackson is the most amazing thing I've ever experienced in my life.