Yearly Archives: 2012
Bedroom Design: Valences Ahead!
Post by Laura Cheng.
I used to love Nick at Nite. I still do. And although Nick Jr. has now been the dominate channel in our household, one of my favorite shows is still I Dream of Jeannie. I can’t talk about I Dream of Jeannie without mentioning her bedroom. That was my favorite part, when the producers would flash from Major Nelson’s ordinary suburban home to Jeannie’s exotic and glamorous lair. Jeannie’s opulent bedroom is encased in wall to wall fabric and highlighted in opulent jewels. Fabric valences along a bedroom wall panel elicits the same magical effect that I get when I see Jeannie’s digs.
Decorating the wall behind the headboard with sheers has a way of transforming the bedroom into a practical, enchanting retreat. I am in love with this soothing lilac and lavendar palette. It’s feminine, yet I could still convince my man to sleep in it without him feeling like I am undermining his masculinity. The gauzy sheers envelops the space. One wall of cascading sheers is all it takes to add dimension and a touch of romance. And it doesn’t hurt to have instant access to a tranquil garden patio right outside the bedroom. In the sunlight, the sheers are shimmering and brilliant.
Source: http://design-crisis.com/
The bedroom above takes the cake, but treatments need not be extravagant to be wonderful. The bedroom below uses a basic curtain and rod panel and keeps the focus on the other elements in the room. The structured pattern of the window treatment and rug are offset by the casual crinkle effect of the simple textile behind the bed. The similar lilac color creates a soft, soothing backdrop to the pop of orange. This particular panel has discreet slit openings, allowing the mounting hardware for the lamps and art to remain hidden from view. The panel color is neutral enough to be a wonderful alternative to white. And the design is easy enough that any DIY could accomplish.
Source: http://www.rcwilley.com/blogs/Room-To-Talk/34/SearchBlog.jsp?query=bedroom&labels=true
If bedrooms had names, this one would be named “Candy”, it’s that sweet. No amount of convincing could get my man in here, but there is something charming that draws me to it. The fabric panel behind the headboard that cocoons the space definitely has something to do with it. It enhances the room and gives a pure and innocent “genie in a bottle” effect. Pale pink might not be the first color that comes to mind when designing an adult bedroom. It’s definitely girly, but it’s also modern, sleek and chic.
Source: http://houseofwentworth.com/2011/07/28/for-the-love-of-lucite/
Bedtime Stories: Weird Oregon
Post by Mark T. Locker.
Weird Oregon by Al Eufrasio and Jefferson Davis.
I came across this at a local coffee shop and thumbed through it, expecting it to be full of all the usual wacky and weird things that every Oregonian knows, like the Vortex and the Shanghai Tunnels which supposedly were used to send unwitting and drunken sailors to slavery. But to my surprise, this book is well-researched and offers fascinating tidbits that I’ve never even heard of. We’ve all heard of Sasquatch but I never knew that Colossal Claude, Wallowa Wally and Marvin the Monster troll the Oregon waters! Not to mention the Melrose Creep, and all the myriad haunted haunts in this mostly Wild West state.
And let’s not forget all the fun the Rajneeshis brought to Antelope, Oregon in the 80s! And if you have never heard of the Enchanted Forest, it’s high time you did.
Everyone seems to talk about Portland these days and if you are taking a trip out here you would be remiss if you didn’t reference this off-beat historic, cultural, and tour guide to Oregon. And if Oregon’s not your thing, not to worry; there seems to be a “Weird” book for every state in the union. Happy travels!
Movies in Bed: Toddlers & Tiaras
Post by Josh Zinn.
Maybe it reveals too much about my personal life or the priorities of my parents, but ever since I was a wee tot I’ve had a deep fascination with the world of beauty pageants. Now, truth be told, I’ve never held much interest in the good deeds this year’s “Miss Southern Soy Belt” hopeful professes she can achieve by winning a crown (though she really does do a sensational job spreading awareness about the embarrassing pain of lactose intolerance, bless her heart), but being an audience to the numerous hardships this brave voyageur of beauty and intelligence (she has a bachelors in Communication!) must endure to claim her throne of dairy-free domination is a guilty delight on par with, well… It’s at least as good as the new, “BOLD and ZESTY!” flavor of Wheat Thins I sampled at Target the other night and that, let me tell you dear readers, ain’t chicken scratch.
The young competitors featured on TLC’s Toddlers & Tiaras, however, don’t have a much of an interest in saving the world from the side effects of cheese—that is, unless salvation takes them to Build-A-Bear afterwards. No, in the minds of these pint-sized pageant participants, the ultimate goal in life appears to be proving their jazzercise mettle in a vicious arena that’s conveniently located in the conference room of a moderately priced, Midwestern hotel. There, amidst an array of stackable chairs, rotund women in stirrup tights, and the desiccated remains of Pixie Sticks, these tiny purveyors of sunshine wage war with one another through song, dance, and Ritalin-induced fits of hysteria and ennui. As desperate mothers wipe the Cheetos crumbs from their bosom and waddle up to the stage to guide their child through yet another Lita Ford-inspired routine, the world waits with baited breath as to who will be crowned the Ultimate Grand Supreme of such “star-spudded” events as the Nicholas County Potato Festival Pretty Baby Pageant. Needless to say, only one small fry can come out on top.
Toddlers & Tiaras isn’t good for you. It isn’t good for your family, for your neighbors, or even for that annoying woman in the supermarket who feels obliged to comment on the tastiness of the frozen dinner you’ve just put in your cart. In fact, for many, watching its endless parade of prepubescent, prettified Pollyanna’s is akin to welcoming the apocalypse to the dinner table. That said, there’s something eerily calming, refreshing, and downright entertaining in knowing your life will never be as terrible or tacky as the families you see on the television screen every week. If it’s true that everybody loves a clown (author’s note: No, it’s not) then Toddlers & Tiaras is a three-ring circus of painted faces and problematic parenting that’s guaranteed to make your misery seem just a little bit brighter!
Things We Like: Counting–er–Chasing Sheep!
Post by Kyle St. Romain.
A while back I wrote about one of the Things We Like: Puppies in Bed. At that time, my girlfriend and I had just brought home a 10-week-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi. His name is Saké a.k.a. Mr. Bombs, and we’re pretty much obsessed. Today, our sweet little puppy has grown up into a big mutt. We still love him though, even if he is a bit of a bed hog.
About a week ago we had our first puppyversary, which happens to be a day before my birthday, and marks the day Saké became part of our little family. To celebrate, we figured we needed to do something extra fun: a nice bottle of Saké (the rice wine) for us, and a herding lesson for Saké (the dog).
We had been planning to bring Saké to test his herding instinct for some time. It all fell into place when we won free herding lesson in a raffle at the Southern California Pembroke Welsh Corgi Association’s annual Corgi Fun Day. Did I mention we were a bit obsessed? Anyways, fate had it in Saké’s cards to chase after sheep, and we weren’t about to stand in the way.
We got to the ranch a little before noon last weekend, which was a bit of a drive inland for us, and about 20 degrees warmer. As soon as we parked inside the gates, Saké knew something fun was about to happen. There were a half dozen or so other dogs running around, and the energy was high. Surprisingly, the first half of the day was spent training us how to behave in the ring with the dog and the sheep together. Once we got that out of the way, it was time to see what Saké had. We knew he liked to chase dogs at the beach, but sheep? That was something we didn’t know. The trainer told us it would be a hard road to train Saké properly. Corgis were bred to drive the sheep forward, and herding competitions require the dog to fetch the Sheep around to you. Thankfully, our retirement fund isn’t banking on Saké winning a herding championship.
At first, he didn’t know what to do with the Sheep, but after a little encouragement he chased after them like you wouldn’t believe. After about five minutes of crazed Sheep chasing, Mr. Bombs decided he had enough. A quick rest, however, and he was back for round two – this time with more confidence. He was starting to get the hang of it. Alas, he had no more energy and it was time to call it a day.
On the way home, we agreed that we had never seen Saké so exhausted before. He slept the entire way back. Actually, he was pretty sleepy for at least another 24 hours. The adventure and the heat had taken its toll on us too, and I think we were all ready for some well-deserved rest when we got home. Busy days indeed make for restful nights, and this was certainly an occasion.
Breakfast in Bed: Chelsea Morning / Orange Butterscotch Toast
Post by Alison Hein.
Woke up, it was a Chelsea morning, and the first thing that I knew
There was milk and toast and honey and a bowl of oranges, too
And the sun poured in like butterscotch and stuck to all my senses..
Recognize these lyrics? Well, my sister would. Besides being my culinary partner in crime, Janet also frequently serves as my memory. She correctly reminds me of what “really” happened when we were kids, clues me in on people’s names, and quizzes me on long-forgotten song lyrics.
Janet has recently been sending me puzzling emails such as: “ladyfinger dipped in moonlight” Just listening to the Dead. Do you think they were referring to the cookie? Or: Picture yourself in a boat on a river, With tangerine trees and marmalade skies…..
Well, let me be fair. I may have started this chain of events when asking Janet for new ideas for my breakfast recipe posts. “What about food songs?”, she inquired. Great idea, Jan!
First up, Joni Mitchell’s Chelsea Morning. Toast, oranges, butterscotch… What could be better for an unforgettable, lyrical breakfast in bed?
P.S. Janet and I have started a list of suitable breakfast food lyrics, so please let me know if you have any we can add!
Ingredients
1 Valencia orange (use about 2 tablespoons juice)
8 tablespoons (one stick) butter
1 cup light brown sugar
Bread, for toasting
Preparation
Cut orange in half. Juice one half of the orange (should yield 2+ tablespoons). Slice the other half of the orange into thin slices. Set orange juice and orange slices aside.
In small, heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar. Continue to cook over medium to medium low heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is significantly thickened, about 5 minutes. If using a candy thermometer, cook until the mixture reaches the soft crack stage (270° – 290°). Remove pan from heat and stir in orange juice. Pour mixture into small dish or ramekin, and refrigerate until firm enough to spread (1 to 2 hours). Serve with toast and orange slices.
Makes ⅔ cup of orange butterscotch spread
Orange Butterscotch French Toast
If you’d like to get a bit fancier with this recipe, try making French Toast (see Sonya’s French Toast for inspiration. Then, after you’ve added the orange juice to your butterscotch mixture, stir in ½ cup to 1 cup of cream. Pour over warm French Toast and serve immediately.
