Not to get all Oprah-y and start shouting out my favourite things like you should care...but I'm going to shout out my favourite things. And please pretend to care.Beyond that, I want to gather all of your favourite things that you have found between the last list and this one because I need distractions. So add a favourite thing in the comment section that someone else may also find to be their new favourite thing if they try it/see it/read it/taste it. Don't worry if you're referring to local products or establishments--there's bound to be other people either living in your area or passing through. What a great way to set up a vacation for yourself--go visit everyone else's favourite places (speaking of which, I was once at a concert and the couple next to us decided their summer vacation spot based on a concert that they wanted to hear. They were from Texas, but they had come to D.C. both to see the city and to hear the Elvis Costello concert out at Wolf Trap. I loved that idea).
So my new favourite things in no particular order:
The Ten, a new movie by the same people who brought you The State on MTV (as well as Stella, Reno 911, Wet Hot American Summer and a bunch of other projects). David Wain and Ken Marino wrote the script together and it's directed by David Wain. I pretty much left the sofa wet with urine after watching this film with Josh last week. It's 10 interconnected stories woven together by Paul Rudd's character who introduces the 10 stories while simultaneously disregarding any of the advice they contain. As the website for the movie states, "The Ten Commandments have been a cornerstone of our society for nearly one hundred years. If you've ever taken a Sunday off, or if you've ever stopped yourself from murdering someone, then you yourself have been following the Ten Commandments without even knowing it." The stories range from neighbours who try to out-do each other by purchasing dozens of CAT scan machines to a librarian having a fling with Jesus Christ while in Mexico to men who get together every Sunday to hang out naked and listen to Roberta Flack. You can watch the trailer here (warning--nudity and language if you're currently at work...). It opens on August 3rd around America, though Josh is doing a sneak preview in July if you're in D.C. and want a good distraction.
The library. In general. It's like retail therapy without the price tag. You don't even need to read all the books--it's just nice to walk through and browse and check them out and bring them home. I think sometimes we forget about the library--I know that I went for five years or so without stepping into my local library. What brought me back? The cookbooks. I go in and check out ten cookbooks or so and sit in bed and look for new recipes. The library is also sort of like getting to test drive a book. If I start the book and I'm immediately in love, I just return it to the library and purchase a copy at the book store. If I'm not in love, I don't feel badly if I return it without finishing it. I'm just saying this in case you've spent all your money on injectibles and can't afford new books. The library makes me feel like a millionaire, baby!
My planner. I've spoken about it a lot lately, but I wanted to mention it again. It has not only organized my life, but completely revamped my attitude. Okay, so that attitude has gone through some dips and peaks, but regardless... The planner rocks.
Popcorn. We've been having a popcorn renaissance that started when we tried Alton Brown's recipe (which was fantastic and is our new standard) and continued when we found a popcorn store at Virginia Beach called Jody's (they also ship anywhere) with the best caramel popcorn. Popcorn was also something I forgot about until recently and I'm so happy to be reunited with it. I have printed out a few new popcorn recipes from Food Network and will be testing them soon.
Those are my new favourite things...now what are yours?
27 comments:
TV shows on DVD, I am almost through season 2 of Grey's Anatomy and have watched NO commercials.
I also discovered a new variety of tomato at the grocery store that actually tastes homegrown. I believe the name is Campello, but I will double check.
I want to second the library. I'm a librarian, so I kind of have to, I guess. But I want to throw in that checking out audiobooks at the library is a great deal, especially if you have a long commute, travel by car, or walk for exercise. I put the CD audiobooks on my mp3 player for my walks. Listening to audiobooks has also really helped with my aural learning skills, which used to be pretty abysmal.
Homemade yogurt. I think I'm addicted. The yogurt maker is one of the best purchases I've made in a long time.
Cherries. I prefer the yellow and red Ranier cherries, but just about any will do. I don't share. I get a big bowl of them and a good book, curl up in my favorite chair and stuff myself.
Lush's Flying Fox shower gel and Soft Coeur massage bar. Is it wrong to walk around sniffing your arm all day? And, of course, the added benefit to the massage bar is the massage you talk your sweetie into giving you with it.
Okay, I will get to my favorite things in a little bit . . . I'm thinking raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, things of that like.
More importantly, I must see this movie. Right away. I just watched the trailer twice and got busted by my boss (the CIO!) for cackling at my desk. Please, oh please, oh please let me in on the sneak preview.
As for my favorite things, I'm going to have to go with:
1) s'mores - besides the fact that they taste heavenly, I love the childhood memories that they conjure up
2) sprinklers - the kind that you put in the back yard, hook your hose up to, and run through
and last, but certainly not least
3) air conditioning - I would become some weird combination of suicidal and homicidal (obviously not in that order) without air conditioning
My brother's fiancee recently made Taiwanese Shaved Ice. The basic concept is shaved frozen milk with lots of toppings. I think the toppings can vary, but she had mango, oranges, crushed pineapple, this minty jello-like substance that you apparently buy at the Asian grocery store, and sweetened condensed milk. Yummy, not outrageously unhealthy, and refreshing. What more could you ask for?
decaff coffee (now that I'm off the hard stuff) with soy milk (now that I'm off the cow's stuff). There is this one S.tarbuc.k's that makes it better than any other S.tarbux I know...
My favorite things: Bad reality tv shows (real world, top model, etc recent addiction is sunset tan on E), movies, and anywhere on a beach!
Those little bottles of suncreen on carabiner clips - they're so convenient to grab and go!
Tofutti Cuties!
Scrubs - I'm watching the tv show in reruns since I just discovered it. It makes me laugh.
And spring rolls. Delicious and refresing summertime treats!
I too love the library and popcorn. I use this http://www.amazon.com/Wabash-Valley-Farms-25008-Whirley-Pop/dp/B00004SU35/ref=pd_bbs_3/102-5063140-0541743?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1184007790&sr=8-3 popcorn maker that I absolutely love!!
Rice krispie treats. Whether they're homemade, or from a foil wrapper- they're just so good!
Take an afternoon off of work, and see a movie. Just a few more days before Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix comes out!!
I second the Popcorn suggestion from Mel. I have this gadget, called a Whirly Pop, that's from Wabash Valley Farms. I got it from Williams Sonoma years ago, and it makes the BEST popcorn. My only addition to the recipe, is to use a little garlic salt. Yum!
Sewing -- my mom sewed throughout my childhood (clothes for me and my brothers and my dolls, and quilts and curtains) and I just didn't get it. I made my first blouse last week and am smitten. Project Runway here I come. :)
Dinner outside. DH and I revamped our 'dining' deck in May and have hardly eaten dinner inside since.
I love the library too and have a stack of sewing books on my project table to prove it. But my third favorite thing right now is the Amazing Race. We set the Tivo to record ALL of them and as soon as it has a season recorded we watch it marathon style. I love love love it.
Making ice-cream. I tell myself it's healthy, as it's all home-made and organic, but I am lying. It's all about the creamy goodness. Current recipe - prune and star-anise. Weird, but in a good way.
Knitting. I have blown a lot of cash on fancy cute colourful yarn, to make nice things with, while I am on bed-rest. Making things is good for the soul. Really.
I third libraries, but then I too am a librarian. My pile of nice things to read while in bed is HUGE. Hurray! Currently reading Naomi Novik's Temeraire books - dragons in the time of Jane Austen. They are simply lovely.
my sweetie
my puppy
my kitty....but i suppose i can't really share those things, can it? :)
i also have to say the library because i would be a bad librarian if i didn't...(thanks for including it in your list, Mel!)
also..knitting, rooibos tea (without rooibos tea i never would have been able to quit coffee), and eating take out dinner at the beach watching the sun set.
Oh, there are so many things:
Grey's Anatomy
My current fave - Coconut cake (love it)
and I second the popcorn - I am a big fan!
My new favorite thing: Sugar Lemon cologne spray by Fresh (at Sephora). Perfect for summer -- it smells like a lemon shake-up at the county fair. Which happens to be D.'s favorite summertime treat, so he is all over me when I wear this. ; )
Another: Mini 4-packs of Barefoot wine. One mini bottle = a very full glass of wine.
A third: L'Oreal Sublime Bronze self-tanner. Best drugstore self-tanner I've found to date.
These are all fairly shallow things, so I'd better add "the library." Which is a perennial favorite, especially in the summertime, and not just because it brings back memories of always having the most stars after my name for Summer Reading Camp. ; )
Hmmm... my favorite things, there are so many :)
Love the popcorn my sister makes, so unhealthy as she makes it with butter and something else but I don't care!
I LOVED the chocolate lasanga that Olive Garden used to have, I seriously miss it
I love getting a grande, non-fat decaf, mocha w/ no whip (I know that it makes me sound pretentious but I swear I'm not!) from Barnes and Noble and then staying in the bookstore for hours when I need to hide from my life. I makes me feel better...
Then there is That 70's Show, Scrubs, and News Radio- always good for a laugh :)
Finally, I love Hatha Yoga
Any type of small pasta with parmesan cheese and butter -- it's the ultimate comfort food.
Dinner at Jaleo (downtown Wash DC) -- I've never had anything I didn't like (and the Sangria is a must!)
Taking really long walks, preferably with someone else (mostly my sister, my dad, or my sister-in-law).
Shopping and food therapy. I know they are horrible ways of dealing with my problems, (one only need look at my waist line and my credit card statement to figure that out) but I can't stop!
I love the library. I'm a librarian, although I don't work directly with the public or with books (except e-books, but they don't really qualify as warm and fuzzy). But D and I make a regular trek to the public library to check out light reading, and I also occasionally grab things at work, which is particularly nice because I get a six month check-out period...
Oh man...
Harry Potter (books, movies, I'm not picky)
Fresh Flowers from Trader Joe's- I just got a bunch with sunflowers, white lilies, blue irises, and pink freesias, and I smile every time I look at it.
Vanilla mochis- theoretically portion controlled, but not if I eat the whole box (oops)
My KnitPicks Options knitting needles- they're sppedy, shiny, and affordable.
Rasputin's Music- this store just came to town. they have a phenomenal used CD selection, and going there is like a treasure hunt every time.
Electricity- don't laugh, we had rolling blackouts in my neck of the woods today. (And with no electricity, there is no Air Conditioning, which is also somewhere in my top 10!)
Fish. We just added a few more to our tank today, including two Peppered Corys. I love watching my fishies doin' their fishy things. :)
You know, your organiser reminded me how long it's been since I used one. It's been, by some strange coincidence, about the same length of time we've been doing fertility treatments. I bought one over the weekend. I feel more motivated already.
Bea
The tomatoes I referenced above are Campari not Campello. They taste homegrown!
The Beatles and Simon and Garfunkle
my favorite things?
as always, lobster, lobster, lobster! also, my ipod, my dogs, my DH, and a fantastic bottle of red wine.
my new favorite discovery is cold stone creamery. that's good stuff! totally decadent!
Bookstores! Greek yogurt with raw honey and crushed walnuts! Danish hotdogs! Mango daquiries! Feeding geese in the park near VB's apartment! (That last one sounds old lady-ish, I agree, but let me tell you, when they rush over and surround you in a jostling, expectant crowd, you feel like a ROCK STAR, man! Okay, yes, I AM a sad person. But I don't care, okay?)
Well, Grey's, naturally...but really:
Blueberries. Nice, plump, sweet summer blues. There is nothing better in the world.
I second the library. I love going to the library. And they let you take all these books home! For a month! The person who invented libraries should be knighted. I love reading cookbooks in bed, a HUGE comfort habit.
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