Thursday, January 28, 2010

Bean Boots & Life Lessons





The illustrious Bean Boot will always call to mind one of my greatest childhood memories. I was the type of kid that once I decided I wanted to do something (riding a bike, learning to read, rollerblading) I took it on full speed, which undoubtedly ended in heaps of frustration and loads of band-aids. I remember one day getting ready for school and waiting for my mom to tie my shoes, however she was preoccupied with the little hellion know as my younger brother, having an epic fit. Right then and there I decided that having your “mommy” tie your shoes was for babies, and I was no baby. So I rounded up all the shoes in the house and set to the task of trying to tie them. Well I quickly came to find that tying ones shoes is one of those many things in life that when you see someone else doing it, it looks like a piece of cake, but once its in your hands… not so much. I am also left-handed which complicates things further when right-handed people try to teach you how to do something.
 This whole thing really started to tick me off and I started throwing the shoes down the stairs (mom not so keen on that). I went off to my room (by choice of course, not because I was told too) and while I was sitting on my bed, I was so disappointed that I could not tie my shoes, that it was just tearing me up inside. Then, it came to me I would ask the solver of all problems, the fixer of all things broken, the teacher of all essential life skills… my dad.
As soon as daddy came through the door that night I begged him to teach me how to tie my shoes. With perfect patience he sat down on the stairs with me and slipped off his bean boots. I took one and he the other and we sat there as he showed me over and over again how to make the loop, tie it around and pull it through. Every once in a while he would slip in one of his favorite little remarks “ Look I can do it and I’m not even left handed” Thanks dad, you’re hilarious (Not). What I came to later realize was that the bean boot was the key to the whole lesson (which of course he knew) because the laces on them are thinner and they are that wonderful strong woven material so they were much easier for my little hands to manipulate, then simply pull to untie and restart the process. I spent hours sitting on the steps with those boots tying and untying them, then when I perfected it, I demanded that dad let me tie his boots for him every time he put them on.
Bean boots will always remind me of my dad, the consummate outdoorsman, they will always flood me with the feeling of love for him and of all the many things he taught me to do. As I write this I am wearing my bean boots, and even though they don’t have Thinsulate or Gore-Tex and they are a smidge too big, I will always love them because dad sent them to me. In his mind there is no other winter boot worth buying. My first winter in New England on the morning of the first snow storm I opened a package from LL Bean and there they were with a note “Hopefully you still know how to tie these- Love Dad” 

Saturday, January 23, 2010

GOP & Morning Suits



Well it looks like we did it. Congrats to the senator elect Scott Brown. This was quite the election and it was nice to have something to get excited about in regards to politics, especially for us republicans. I have also been really blown away by the amount of friends from all over the country who have emailed me thanking massachusetts for electing Scott Brown and hopefully stopping the proposed healthcare legislation, which I found very interesting.
Speaking of the GOP it seems as though they have been sweeping quite a few elections as of recent.


New Jersey and Virginia have also elected new republican governors. I happened to catch the  inauguration of the new virginia governor Bob McDonnell on C-Span last week and one thing that I loved and was a little surprised by was that all the gentleman wore morning suits and some even donned gloves ( apparently the gloves are up for much controversy) I love that feeling of tradition and sense of importance of the event that the presence of the morning suit brought. I tried to research if this was something special to virginia but not much turned up, I did however get the impression that this had been a tradition that at one time was customary to all inaugurations whether presidential or state.


Then as I thought back I began to recall that JFK wore a morning jacket to his inauguration. Now I am no expert on menswear but I do read alot of the gentleman blogs that are and I am learning but I do not know what the special tie normally worn with the morning suit is called but I did notice that JFK wore a normal tie with a waistcoat which also seems to be acceptable with the morning suit. I wish the government would go back to this practice or that more states and all president elects would don the morning suit for their inaugurations.
Have a wonderful weekend all!

Well are you?
TWA

Monday, January 18, 2010

Now for a public service announcement...




Even though politics is one of my great passions I try not to discuss my politics in this blog. However as I am sure you are all aware the commonwealth will be holding its special election for the open senate seat tomorrow. This election is not only very important to the residents of massachusetts but to the entire nation as the current healthcare legislation comes up for vote. I am personally supporting Scott Brown in this election and am very honored to have the chance to vote for him. He has been making great waves here in his position in the state senate and I am confident that he will do so in washington. He is a member of the national guard for nearly 30 years and is not entangled with the lobbyists and special interests of washington. Massachusetts I implore you please vote for Scott Brown tomorrow.
We will return to our regularly scheduled programming tomorrow.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

The Queens Cashmere


It is no secret that I am a big fan of cashmere sweaters. My standard winter uniform is a button down shirt (collar always popped) paired with a cashmere sweater. Wool is just too itchy and blends just never seem to look right. By far my favorite (and most expensive, OUCH) sweater is my queen of cashmere monogrammed sweater.

OBVIOUSLY I am a huge fan of Navy and Orange and while I love the sweater I have to say that the "starfish" (I mean its called starfish how could I resist) color is not the most flattering on me. I would recommend doing a darker colored sweater and doing one of the more fun bright colors as the monogram. I do have 5 Navy blue cashmere sweaters of different styles so I didnt want to do navy for this most special of sweaters. But hey you live and learn and I love it so who cares. I have picked out my next one though... Navy with Gold monogram!
Anywho I have been struggling lately with my cashmere maintenance. I never ever dry clean and have used several different detergents. The other thing that plagues me are those darn pills. Ahhh the pilling drives me crazy! Up until recently I was using this little guy to depill


While quite effective it was alot of work and I was exhausted after one sweater, and all that pulling cant be good for the cashmere. So for xmas by best friend KWD and her mummy gave me this little puppy!
Brookstone Sweater Shaver  and I love it, it gets the job done quite well and with 1/2 the effort. I made quick work of depilling my entire collection.
Now when it comes to washing I find The Laundress products to be the best. They also have this really cute little video to show you how best to wash your sweaters, Cashmere Care.
They also have their Sweater Stone


Which looks really interesting but I have my little sweater shaver now so Ill stick with that.
On an even better note my friend EAS over at one of my favorite blogs
Let The Tide Pull Your Dreams Ashore is hosting the most fabulous Giveaway  I have seen here in bloggerland.
She and the queen have teamed up to giveaway one of the queens custom cashmere throw pillows, and you even get to choose the colors!
Go check it out and enter to win!
 


Saturday, January 9, 2010

MAC in Lillyland




MAC Cosmetics has just launched their new "MAC in Lillyland" Collection. When I was walking by the mac store the other day something just caught the corner of my eye and I spied their perfectly preplicious new collection.
I love mac cosmetics but the colors are usually kinda dark and really trendy but this new Lillyland collection is so bright and fun. I am in love with the cream blush and the nail polishes!












Well Are You?
TWA


Friday, January 8, 2010

New Years Resolution- Be a Better Blogger

Ahh friends it has been a while. With the New Year safely rung in I am hoping that I can get back into the habit of posting on a regular basis. So lots of randomness to catch up on here today. Lets start with a great little gift my roommate and BFF gave me for Xmas...


The Barbour Jacket that I wanted! She found it at a thrift shop and said even though it might be a little big for the me, price was so good she couldnt pass it up! I love that this one has the darker lining and I will wear it on causal snow storm days with my navy bean boots.


Speaking of which my boss gave me the bean mocs I have been coveting. I had to switch them for another size which should be coming in Feb. I think they will be so cute with the barbour coat, and in new england you can never have too much foul weather gear!


I headed over to the mall last night because the BFF also gave me a gift card to Victoria's Secret so I wanted to check out the Semi Annual Sale. I found some good stuff and nothing was over $3.99 so it was a super deal. Not a chance Ill be posting a pic of those. Hahah. As I was walking out I walked past Gilly Hicks a store I had posted on earlier and they were also having a sale so popped in and picked up a few more pairs of panties and relished in the amazing decor of that store. Isnt their tartan bag soo cute!
 Its brand extension of Abercrombie and Fitch and even though I think the company is pretty raunchy I will say this store is superbly designed and I always love taking it in.


So I was on my way out and determined to walk by the Rugby store without going in and emptying out my bank account but I decided I would just "look" (yeah right...) Lots of wonderful stuff on sale but my favorite was the new button down shirts that have MADRAS ON THE COLLAR. I fell in love. However, I know that these are for spring so I am going to exercise some restraint and wait till then to grab one (or two... probably three) they also had some great socks with bright fun colors (always makes me think of Maxminimus and his love of the horizontal stripe) Thats all for now but more to come in the New Year!
Well are you?
TWA