playdate

Slutty shoes and the spirit of Christmas

Every family has its unique holiday traditions; time-honored customs and rituals which mark the season and each year symbolize for its members the very spirit of whatever holiday they celebrate.

In some homes mothers and daughters trade Christmas recipes or craft ornaments. In my family, mom and I bond over the sacred, annual gifting of the slutty shoes.

Learning to face the music

A few weeks ago I did something that would have mortified my teen-aged self.

I listed as one of my favorites, a song performed by a *gasp* country music group.

It was in this post in which I responded to a Crazy Eights meme by revealing eight songs I could listen to over and over. One of them: Landslide by the Dixie Chicks.

Hot mama!

I think I'm a relatively hot mama.

Key word: relatively.

The older I get, the more I realize that attractiveness is all relative and that realization is what allows me to feel good about myself despite the fact that I will never, ever look as good in a bikini as I did 15 years ago.

Falling for Joe

I have to confess: I have a new boyfriend and I'm crazy about him.

At first I wasn't so sure he was deserving of my passion. He's pretty cheap. Okay, really cheap. And he doesn't exactly hang with the cool crowd. Truthfully, I was a little embarrassed to be seen with him at first. I'm a diva - for gawd's sake!

But over the last few months I've really come to appreciate all of his wonderful qualities: he's stylish, accessible, unpretentious and, I must say, solidly built.

His name is Joe Fresh.

I had the time of my life

At last Saturday's showing of the new stage musical Dirty Dancing that is.

And I realize the above title and opening line are ridiculously cheesy, but I also think, just like the play itself and the movie on which it is based, they're still cute.

Super cute actually. And super fun.

Love and delusion; keeping them alive

My husband, bless his dear wee soul, is convinced that his beloved wife is a dear, wee soul.

Emphasis on the wee.

Let me explain by saying that my husband often buys clothes for me. He has great taste and has picked out some really cool clothes. Clothes that I love. Stylish clothes.

Small clothes.

Is it time for your regularly scheduled maintenance?

It's so great to drive a brand-new car isn't it?

It roars to life at just the gentlest touch. It hums like a bird at any speed. You can be rough with it, neglectful even, and yet it drives with confidence.

Eventually the car will start to show its age a little. The engine gets louder, less graceful. It starts to lurch around, rather than hug, the corners. You start to notice bumps and thumps, tiny dents and scratches, that were never there before. You worry that things are starting to really break down.

Scooped

Well pour some sugar on me.

I was a proud rocker, all teased hair and black eyeliner, when I attended my small-town high school in the 1980s so when I encountered this little number I couldn't resist hopping aboard the crazy train for a little trip down memory lane.

Reviewed: The Little Black Book of Style

When Nina Garcia first introduced herself I was not optimistic.

Garcia, the fashion director at Elle magazine and a judge on Project Runway, is the author of The Little Black Book of Style which is being marketed as a practical resource for attainable elegance.

And it really is, if you can get past the author's note subtitled Where I'm Coming From, which discouraged me so much I actually put down the book in disgust and commenced with the sighing and eye rolling.

Scooped

I picked up this top for $35.50 (plus tax) at Costa Blanca at Fairview Mall the weekend before last. Yes, I told my long-suffering mother-in-law I just needed her to watch Graham for a few minutes while I ran out to renew my licence plate sticker, but this little number cried out to me as I was dashing by.

I love it for so many reasons.