So many parties and gathering abound. Not sure which I will attend of anyone's, and which I will pass on, for various reasons. I did however go to one this past Friday as I have known about it for months. The holiday party I attended with my bf for his work was really quite nice. As per last post, I was just fine in the social arena. I faked being 'not shy', and as usual it worked out fine. People were curious about me, as no one had yet met me although they very much knew about my existence. It was equally nice to put faces to names and stories I had heard about. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and everyone I talked with.
The night was cold and snowy going there, but leaving, the sky turned amazingly clear and starry, a nice backdrop for a full vibrant moon. I wore a cute but modest cocktail (tube?) dress and heels. Black with a hint of glimmering purple. The bodice went straight across my chest without any glimpse of cleavage, which I prefer for most all of my clothing. Directly under the breast area yet just above the waist was a black bow detail. It was/is really cute and I would like to wear it again, otherwise it will just sit in my closet. Suppose I could always sell it. So overall, I ended up spending more money on everything than I anticipated. Not a bad thing, it just isn't where I usually spend my money. I originally planned to wear a super cute dressy skirt and pair it with a new blouse or sweater, but in my shopping endeavors, I didn't find anything that I was comfortable with. So when I decided to try this dress on for the fun of it, I was greatly surprised how it would be perfect for the occasion. So I went for it. Really, I have more than a closet full of clothes but I wanted something new. I have SO many clothes, but I pretty much stick to the same things regardless of what the event calls for. I love clothes seeing different fashions and such, but I'm more of a casual, functional, adventure ready sort of attire wearer. In heals, I am pushed up over 6 feet tall, and I'm really more comfortable in flats and maintaining my 5'10" loveliness. But I do sport the heals on occasion, preferably when I know there wont be a lot of walking. I like to walk fast and without worry of toppling over. Anyway, all in all, I was pleased with my find and the end product. I may or may not have pictures. Although my bf always has a camera on him, we failed to get any of us at the event. Before hand, we set the camera to take a pic of us, but it wasn't a full body shot, something I wanted so I could post over at a fashion community group at Live Journal.
So we arrived at a nice banquet facility- I do not remember the name, and I plan to find out as it was small, classy, cozy, and well laid out. Hors d'oeuvres of stuffed mushrooms, clams casino, meatballs, vegetables were displayed and delicious to consume. I was craving more of the clams all weekend. An open bar provided for any sort of concoction one desired. I had two rounds of a vodka-soda with lime. A super cool magician guy kept us entertained. I was seriously baffled at times, which heightened my amusement. Later, dinner was a nice spread of all sorts of yummy food and continued conversation.
The company did a gift exchange, which was entertaining to watch. Everyone who wants to participate brings a gift. A bowl full of pieces of paper with a number written on each are circulated around to everyone. Each person draws a number, which indicates when it is your turn to go up to the gift table to select a gift. For example, person number One goes up and selects any wrapped gift they choose and opens it right there. Everyone sees it. At this point, they must keep the gift, so they go sit down. Person with number Two then goes up to the gift table and selects a wrapped gift, and then decides whether to open it and KEEP it-- OR (and this is where it becomes entertaining) if they prefer person number Ones opened gift they hand over their chosen unopened gift over to person number One and trade (which person number One has no choice- their gift might be snatched from them, and handed the unknown unopened gift that person number Two selected). So on it goes. Person number Three then goes to the table, selects a wrapped gift then decides to open it and keep it, OR before opening it, swap with either of the others gifts that have been opened already by person One or Two. And so it goes from there. There can be all sort of swapping and you never know what you have until the very end. The last person to have the option to swap, it the person who went up to begin with, person number One. Starting off as the number One person you have no choice, as no other gifts have been opened. But in the end, you have the ultimate choice, as you can choose from any of the other gifts that were opened through every last person having their turn. In this case, 15 people participated in the gift exchange. When our turn came, my BF chose a package and handed it to someone who had previously opened a gift of Baileys liqueur. So for a little while we had giant bottle of Baileys in our possession before it got swiped out by someone unknowingly holding a package of flashlights, which we had to open and keep (no more swapping by choice beyond the initial gift selection) and went home with. It was fun. There were some gag gifts of the sort and some really nice stuff and a few things in between. The Baileys would have been fun. The flashlights could be fun. Baileys and flashlights would be most fun.
I still have yet to get any shopping done. Well, I picked up one thing for a friend, and a movie for my mom, but that is all so far. I have to really think about what I want to get and then take care of it all this week- and then tie up loose ends next week. I am NOT going out this weekend- as anyone else who has put it off is likely to be out on the final weekend before the holiday! I'm not a 'shopper' and usually prefer to stay out of stores, unless it is for me- books, techy stuff, and occasional late night jaunt to wander Wegmans when I feel like I have the place to myself. Speaking of which..
I've been cooking a lot more lately- last week it was a green chicken/veggie curry over jasmine rice (perfect) and this weekend it was a beef stroganoff made with lots of sirloin and sliced baby portabella mushrooms. Everything I make is made with as fresh of ingredients as possible and from "scratch"- unless it is otherwise redeemed ridiculous, time or money consuming. I pretty much guess at what goes into my concoctions and I measure nothing, unless baking, then I follow more closely. I consult a recipe prior to shopping just to see what I might want to make sure goes into a dish- but I will add and take away as I feel creative. That is what I like about cooking- not so much anything to fill my belly, but to experiment and create. A nice balance of Art and Science, if you will. There is an end product, and it can be appreciated by others. I do less cooking if there is no one for me to share it with. Considering how well the last few things I have made turned out (seriously so yummy), I would be wise to write down as much as I can remember as to what went into it (still wouldn't know how much measurement wise). Also, I keep kicking myself for not photographically documenting the process. I know how many of us love some good food-porn.
This week, I aim to make lasagna and/or chili, if I have the time, money and ambition to buy what is needed. I have noodles and beans I want to use up, so it will be a matter of finding the remaining ingredients at the store. I am also trying to make a couple of different things using what I bought for the original intent (ie, I made a beef barley soup from rationed off stroganoff ingredients. Made a killer omelet using some of the veggies from previous curry recipe, etc). My mind feels more organized when I do that as well and besides, the food (and tastes) goes farther when I can make a couple of smaller batch items than one giant batch of something. Good stuff.
I still want to find some mistletoe- I entirely forgot when I was out last week shopping for an outfit for the party. Actually, I have a bit of "un-shopping" to do, as I purchased extra items for my outfit (as extra choices) that I certainly don't need (ie jewelery, stockings, bra-nothing worn, just decided against some of the things I purchased). So that will be a nice chunk of change back into my account that I can use to start/finish gift shopping.
oy.
That's it for now. Stay warm- don't blow away. it was so crazy windy this morning that the sounds of the wind/rain morphed my dreams. Eery stuff.
PS. I just realized that I have never had eggnog. Have I been missing out?
thought this was kind of cute when it was circulated in an email recently:
Waaaaait a minute. Isn't that photo a take on Burt Reynolds?
I saw that on the news and thought how crazy! It looks like the burger king is being pretty innapropraite with that animal head.
Can you imagine somebody actually using it? The friends you'd make with the canine community....