Bumble and bumble take 2

It's official - I love this haircut. Coco is a goddess. She also suggested using the Curl Conscious line from Bumble and bumble, and I use the holding foam and defining creme for fine curls. Almost no frizz at all and the curls stay for most of the day :) I like being free of the blow dryer :)

November in NYC

Finally we have seen the first hard frost - the impatiens have been frozen and thawed and they look like broccolini after a minute or 2 over steam for dinner. Each morning I've seen more and more NYC doggies with their doggies coats. These doggies don't spend much time outside to grow winter fur, so they need to have NYC coats :)

All the people have dragged out their winter coats, ski jackets, scarves and gloves. OK the NYC people have had all these accoutrements since October 15th even when the temp was at 65 degrees. Kinda funny 'eh?

One day at a time - still reaching for breakfast on the way in, but it is much chillier than usual!

Bumble and bumble

Before:

They do actually spell it with a small "b" on the second bumble on the logo :)

Murphy's law is your hair always looks fabulous on the day you have a hair appointment after looking crappy for the last week :)

Today I had an appointment with Pauline and Coco. I really missed Emily who did my hair for like 15 years. Pauline did my color - she said that Emily did an amazing job with my color previously :) I was in desperate need of color and Pauline did a fabulous job. I will definitely go back to her. And Coco, I need to see my hair with me drying it. Everyone, including Jessie, says she is a goddess with curly hair. She said if I have any problems to just let her know.

I let Coco do all the things I never let anyone do. Cut my hair with a razor, use thinning shears...

When I walked up to the salon, I was surprised there was a line out the door, but I was quickly checked in and given a tour. The first floor has 30 hair cutting stations, a cafe, coat check and waiting area. I was sent up to the 3rd floor for color. There were 10 sinks, and I'm not sure how many stations. Each sink has a reclining chair with massage (woo!). This is one heck of a busy place.

My appointment was at 1:15 pm and I left at 12:30 or so. Got there at 1:00. Took the 4/5 to 59th street and walked south on Lex to the salon - only 3 blocks. I didn't have my phone or my watch (whoops) but got home around 5:30. I think next time I'll do just the cut or just the color. That is just way too long....

At least it was a rainy, humid Saturday :)

Christmas Windows At Lord and Taylor

At lunch today I decided I needed a walk, and I remembered that Lord and Taylor's Christmas windows were unveiled last night. The animated marionettes, dolls and puppets were of a time long ago. Victorian costumes and traditional vignettes.

I imagine these windows took months to prepare and engineer. They are absolutely works of art.

I think it's interesting how some of the shots have the reflection of the people who were looking at them. In just a few weeks, people will fight to catch a glipse of them, looking over the shoulders of 10 or 12 people in front of them.

If you are wondering, they are even prettier in person!

Suzee's Cilantro Cream Sauce

So - the Patriots are on tonight, and the are playing the Jets, so we actually get to see the game! Woo! One of the things that Rick misses is being able to watch the Patriots. We had a nice little routine where he'd watch the game and I'd read my magazines, and when he cheered, I'd look up and catch the play on the instant replay which invariably happened :)

Occasionally I would make some special appetizer (like Dana Carpenter's Heroin Wings - this recipe is worth the price of the book - really!) or some other dip or something. (mostly those wings - they are so good.) So tonight I decided to make a special app for the game. I'm not up for making the wings after working all day (especially since I would have to haul all the ingredients home), but a dip I figured I could do.

I searched on line for low carb dips - this one is relatively low calorie too. Of course I took poetic licence and created my own dip. It's quite nice :)

1 8 oz pkg of light cream cheese (neufetchel)
1-2 T sour cream ( I used breakstone's light)
1 Cup tomatillo taco sauce (if you can't find this, use some mexican green sauce)
1/2 t ground black pepper
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground chipotle pepper
1 t cumin
2 t garlic powder
1 big bunch fresh cilantro
1-2 T fresh lime juice

Use the S blade of your food processor, and puree this whole thing. Stick it in the fridge for an hour or 2 to let the flavors meld.

Great dip with veggies and great sauce for chicken - I'll be trying other dippers and sauce accompaniments too :)

Holiday Plans

One of the things I have been looking forward to since we are in NYC and all is seeing the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in person. Every year for more years than I care to count, I got up early to make the stuffing, stuff the turkey and pop it all in the oven. Then I'd make the chocolate pudding for the chocolate cream pie, and the vanilla pudding for the banana cream pie, and assemble the pies up to the whipped cream. At this point it is usually about 9 or 9:30, and the TV is showing me the big balloons, marching bands and broadway performers. I pretty much stay glued to the TV (sometimes with a mimosa) to enjoy the show. Usually my brother will laugh at me, reading the fat newspaper with all the black Friday ads, but still puts up with me and the performers on TV.

This year I'm not making Thanksgiving dinner, and since we are right here in NYC, I'm planning to enjoy all the activities in person :) Wednesday night the balloons are supposed to get blown up part way in preparation for the big show - this is over by the Museum of Natural History. Then in the morning everyone lines the streets for the big show :) Since I'm not cooking, I've made a reservation via Open Table so we'll have dinner after the Parade. We are planning to go to Brasserie44 where they advertise they will be serving turkey.

And, I've just realized that Irving Berlin's White Christmas is being performed at the Marquis Theater, and I got tickets for the Saturday night after Thanksgiving :) Yippee! And we'll have another visit to NH before Christmas as well. And when I walked by Lord and Taylor, there was a sign that the Holiday windows will be unveiled on 11/13 :)

It's nice to have something to look forward to :)

Eights

I was browsing some blogs and came upon http://reneethemusical.blogspot.com/

She was tagged for eights. Here are mine:

8 Shows I currently TiVo
1. Sarah Connor Chronicals
2. Boston Legal
3. Sordid Lives
4. Lipstick Jungle
5. Desperate Housewives
6. Biggest Loser (saving them up for a marathon)
7. Saturday Night Live
8. Fringe
9. House
10. The Daily Show
11. What Not To Wear
12. Enterprise
13. Kath & Kim
14. Grey's Anatomy
15. 30 Rock
16. Army Wives
17 Barefoot Contessa
18 Samantha Brown's Weekend Getaways


OK - more than 8, but c'est la vie. Since I only watch what is TiVo'ed, I skip the commercials and the show is over in half the time :)

8 Favorite Restaurants In NYC
1. The Uptown
2. The Carlyle
3. Parlor
4. Bella Cucina
5. Dominos
6. Timothy's on the River
7. Dukes
8. Brother Jimmy's BBQ


8 things that happened yesterday
1. I cried.
2. I laughed.
3. I went dancing for the first time in years.
4. I went to the Doctor (he was new and very nice).
5. I went on the V train for the first time.
6. I wore a very cool NYC outfit.
7. I worked.
8. I slept.


8 things I'm looking forward to
1. Ann coming to visit for the day
2. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
3. Thanksgiving chocolate cream pie (or Christmas, we'll see)
4. Taking Christmas pictures to send in our Christmas cards
5. Finding NYC Christmas cards.
6. Going to Bumble and Bumble to have my hair done next week.
7. Finding tickets to Wicked
8. Going back to NH in December

8 things I love about fall
1. Mount Manadnock
2. Carving pumpkins
3. Trick or Treat!
4. The Foliage
5. Crisp air
6. The first time you wear a sweater
7. A new leather jacket
8. Leaf peeping on a weekday, and stopping at Horsefeathers (http://www.horsefeathers.com/)

8 things on my wish list
1. To be skinny
2. A self cleaning apartment
3. Win the lottery
4. A spa week
5. A job that is fun!
6. The perfect fitting pair of jeans
7. lots of rest
8. Peace