Weather Lore For String Bikinis

Red sky at night, sailor's delight...

Weeellll...I must have missed the red sky this morn that told me be warned. One tumble through this swell and it was adios beach and hola pool for the day...

Kindness of my Pucci bikini for hanging tight and allowing me to exit with some semblance of dignity. Albeit with an added pound of sand and some exposure that will give some interest to my tan lines...XXOO

The Guilt Card

I've been obsessively Skyping the boys making sure all's well on the home front. Per usual, Templeton is eating his weight in food cuz "ya know Mummy's never coming home to feed us ever again"...

And, Monsignor Pilgie donned his Monk's robes the minute I walked out the door with my suitcase. He has taken a vow of silence and has begun his eight day fast. Yup, all's status quo on the northeastern front...

Kindness of my sister Genevieve for juggling the Golden Corral All You Can Eat bar and the Monastery til my return...XXOO

When In Rome Mexico

You know how every family's home has a distinguishing smell? Well my parent's homes have a distinguishing sound. The sound of opera. All the time, opera...

I shoulda know something was afoot when the packages started pouring in from Amazon right before my parents headed south for three months. I figured it was books for beach reading and, well, more opera. Not so...

Turns out Trini Lopez is to be the house sound in Ixtapa...

Kindness of the extra pillow I pilfered from one of the other bedrooms that, coupled with the crashing surf, helps me to sleep through the fiesta wafting from the living room every night...XXOO

And This Lil Piggy Flu Went Wheee Wheee...All The Way To Mexico

It's been three glorious days thus far...

Followed by très early nights. Still recouperating and all my energy reserves are being sapped by my 11-6pm sun worshiping. Big plans to shake this lil piggy's lingering hold on the treadmill mañana...

Kindness of my parents for graciously allowing me to bow out early every evening...XXOO

Adiós Mis Amigos

Passport and itinerary, check!

Summery duds, check!

George playing his signature buthowcouldyouleaveme card while I pack, check!

And, Templeton laying in protest on my Space Saver bags, check and double check.

Now, I have packed all of my cords and appliances in hopes of reporting beach side so, fingers crossed my father can find his password this time for me to log on to their wireless Internet...

And, I've changed my Verizon service to include Mexico allowing me to tweet, chat, bbm and publish comments from the beach til my lil heart's content...

If all else fails, just picture me here. In all white, natch...

Kindness of all my readers who will give me a smidgie latitude with the posting next week. Planning for some soft, vacaionesque reporting but, if the communication gods decide not to smile upon me, I shall return the first Monday in February bronzed and ready to roll...XXOO

Interview With PVE

Below follows my interview with Patricia van Essche that she has posted today along with a sneak peek of my gorgeous new PVE Design header:

When did your fascination with summer begin? The minute I was old enough to understand that summer meant no school, short distance swimming, long days and Lilly Pulitzer galore.

Do you design a life around summer all year? If by "design" you mean fantasizing that I'm running along Gin Lane in Southampton on the way back to my summer cottage when in fact I'm suffering through 8 milers in 20 degree weather, well then yes, I believe I do.

What inspires you most about summer? All the best clothes, natch! Plus, everyone knows you look thinner with a tan. And, when it comes to tanning, I reached pro level a looong time ago.

How do you create a Summer is a Verb attitude during the winter? By sneaking off to my parents home in Ixtapa, Mexico midwinter for a dose of sun and surf. It's also an opportunity to test drive some of my newly acquired summery duds that I'm waiting to debut during the upcoming "season".

Favorite bikini? My two all time favorite bikinis were a white 96° and a lil black Gucci number that my sister Mandy and I both had. Très Bain de Soleil. I also had a thing for Head racing suits. Are they still around? Someone should resurrect those!

Favorite sunscreen? Skinceuticals SPF 30 for my face, neck and back of hands, since that's were a women first shows her age, and good ole Coppertone for the rest. Strictly for the scent mind you.

Favorite goggles and swim cap? I don't do caps. I usually had so much chlorine in my hair it was like a virtual cap. If I had a nickel for every old lady that approached me and asked what I put in my hair to make it so shiny, I'd have that cottage in the Hamptons! And, for goggles I'm loyal to Sweds, preferably in green or mirrored for summer.

Best beach towel? Oooo Hermes...Babe still swears he'd end up on American Greed one day as "the former CEO whose wife collected $500 beach towels". But, a girl can dream...

How do you handle a burn? Advil and a good margarita. Patrón Silver and Cointreau por favor. The Advil's for the burn and the margarita's to drown my nosunforyoutomorrow blues.

Kindness of Patricia at PVE Design for my beautiful new header. All that's missing is my little figure running past. Also, to Bryn Alexandra for my pretty pink font work. It takes talented and generous souls to put up with my aesthetic demands...XXOO

Nelson, Mom Jeans And The Dog House

"We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child Of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you." Marianne Williamson, as quoted by Nelson Mandella in his inaugural speech, 1994

That's my story and I'm stickin with it. And, so should you...

Kindness of Babe for realizing that being "gorgeous" and "fabulous" does indeed require buying Varinas in many colors. Even though it may not have been so "brilliant" to do so without his blessing. Or "talented" to get caught...XXOO

Avatar

I went kicking and screaming to Avatar this past weekend. Not only have I been 3-D shy ever since barfing on Epcot's Star Wars ride but, I've also been scarred by Babe and his King Kong and District Nine types films in the past. I wasn't about to fall for his ole Metacritic bait again without a good fight...



But, being the good wife that I am, I caved, 3-D glasses and all and, to my non sci-fi lovin surprise it was fabulous. However, we shall keep that enthusiasm under wraps for now...



Cuz, someone needs a date to The Young Victoria and the guilt card will need to be played...

Kindness of Babe for drawing a little more on his memory of my good sportsmanship and a little less on my sneaky Varina buying ways while he's away this week...XXOO

Piggy Flu Panacea

My furry nursing staff couldn't have handled my round the clock care without the auxiliary help of some really great blogging friends. A team of "experts" in the fields of moral, materialistic and distractionary support...

First communique to come over the wire was a pic text greeting from Meg Carter at the Atlanta Gift Show via Kristin at Summer In Newport. I nodded back to sleep in a Tylenol and Sea Candy dangle induced haze...

At the height of my piggy flu misery a UPS delivery arrived from Jules Reid...

A script filled with kind words...

And, one ahhhmaaazing blouse....

Don't get too comfy on that hanger lil pink missy cuz next week we're saying adiós to this sick bed and heading to México...

By day four the fever had broken and I emerged from the bedroom just in time to receive an urgent email from Dickie at Southern Gent. The gals at Matters of Style had posted a Belk's Going Out of Varinas sale. I was able to muster strength from some unknown reserve and track down the last pair of size 9 navy Varinas in the whole Belk world...

Not long off of the heels of my Varina victory came a message over my blackberry from camp Maxminimus:

"So I'm sitting in a cafe next door to my office a moment ago-having a late lunch and this kid...I say kid because she's probably in her early twenties-pretty little blond gal like your nieces and like LFG is going to be...walks over to me.

'I know this is awkward but I read your blog' she nervously said. We both laughed and I asked her how she found it. She said...'I read Summer is a Verb every day'. I told her that Allie Von Summersverb was recovering from the Swine in good form. She sends her best"

Just when a girl's circle of friends, closet and fever ravaged head seem to be swelling disproportionally out of sink with her shrinking body, leave it to PVE to bring her back down to earth with a post reminding her it's time to shift gears from receiving to giving. She's also great for a 3am email when a sick girl can't sleep...

Kindness of everyone for all their well wishing emails, texts, bbm's and tweets while I was sick. Babe especially thanks you for buffering him from the bulk of my whining...XXOO

Be Careful What You Wish For...

"Well, I don't eat anything and when I feel like I'm about to faint I eat a cube of cheese. I'm just one stomach flu away from my goal weight." Emily in The Devil Wears Prada...

Mummy wishes she could eat those famous last words she jokingly uttered (or anything else besides dry toast and scrambled egg) hours before been stricken with the piggy flu. I'm grabbing a quick cat nap at the nurses station before tonight's shift begins. Fingers crossed it's not gonna be another one full of reoccurring Ginger Ale dreams and Daddy trying to strong arm her over the phone to drink that disgusting Theraflu...

Kindness of Templeton and Pilgie R.N. for keeping a faithful post on my sick bed the past two nights til Daddy M.D. returns. We've got a boatload of whining saved up just for him..XXOO

As Babe Fondly Says, "Then There's The Christmas I Gave Myself"

I blame the wish list guest posts. I'm supposed to eat right, workout ANNND not buy stuff being strutted around in front of me throughout the holiday? What kind of discipline does Babe think I'm made of!

First, I was caught red handed with my fresh from an eBay bidding war coup Christopher Ross buckle. How was I supposed to know he would walk in on me while I was covertly test driving my new fox pal over my flannel Lilly pj's?

Once the fox was outta the bag the interrogation hot lights came out and I was forced into confessing all other "previously unmentioned" purchases. Including, the butitwas50%off!!! purple addition to my Ralph Lauren cashmere sweater collection...

A red flag should have gone up on Christmas day when I had my hot little hand on Emma's Tory Burch wallet moments after she unwrapped it...

Apparently, Saks does do business on Christmas and two days later it was Babe who intercepted the UPS butIgotitwithChristmasmoney delivery...

I did not, however, rat out Pilgie for his recent Melissa Odabash order of one white bikini...

Naughty Pilgie. Daddy's not going to be happy...

Kindness of an "anonymous" someone for taking an "unnamed" hit for his mama...XXOO

My Christmas From Babe

I had a wonderful holiday with Babe...

And, his generous gift giving started shortly after this shot on Christmas Eve when I turned down the bed to find a familiar orange box peeking out from under my pillow...

Inside, a belt I have lusted over since high school...

The next morning's gift opening brought my much coveted Burbery pea coat and looong awaited Gucci Horsebit Hobo bag. Hilbils has already volunteered to take my new purse off my hands should I ever tire of it. Generosity abounds...

My last big gift, unfortunately, is up on blocks til I can properly heal my Achilles tendon at which time I'm on a 5 mile restriction per Dr. Babe. Fooey...

My stocking contained some familiar items...

And, some surprise gadgets...

Apparently, my gratitude was bittersweet for Babe. According to him, even though he took care of the top contenders on my wish list, all it meant was that the items cued up behind them were scooched up to the top. Poor Dil. There's always Valentines Day...

Kindness of Babe for giving me an amazing Christmas. Although, I must admit the best gift of all was having him all to myself for two solid weeks...XXOO

Babe's Christmas From Moi

I was told by Babe, that unless I could give him a Porsche or a house in the Hamptons, not to buy him a thing for Christmas. And, he added that, unlike me one birthday, he would not say this and then cry when he didn't receive a gift...

So, I figured the above book was small enough to slip through the no gift cracks...

And, since the T. Anthony dopp kit would be used for "work" purposes it also technically bypassed his request...

Although, not quite in the league of a Porsche or Gin Lane cottage, a couple of Hermes ties could also fall under the umbrella of "work" items...

But, I expertly detected a flicker of doubt cross Babe's gorgeous face when he layed his eyes upon my raspberry selection. Ever on high alert for any tear inducing reactions he expertly reeled it in and was extremely gracious. Pink tie and all...

Kindness of Babe for truly not caring a lick about gifts and leaving all that concern for moi...XXOO

Republicans, Reagan and Stilton Cheese Soup

Turns out my dad and Amy's have a mutual love for not only the Republican Party but, also Stilton cheese. So, I am sure it made my dad's day when I let him know, via Skype, that the past president of the RNC during, his favorite president, Reagan's time in office was now in possession of his Stilton soup recipe kindness of moi. Does that count as public service?

Barry's Stilton Soup
Serves 6

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb Stilton cheese, rind removed, grated
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup light cream
garnish with snipped chives or black pepper

Heat the butter in a saucepan and cook the onion until soft. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute longer. Stir in the cheese and the flour and continue to cook over low heat until the mixture is well blended, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the stock and wine, add the bay leaf and bring to a simmer, whisking from time to time, for 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the cream and cook just long enough to heat the soup through.

Garnish with snipped chives or with a generous grinding of black pepper and serve with some good pumpernickel and a fantastic Riesling.

"On Boxing Day the Edwardian upper classes went hunting and an ample "shooting lunch" was part of this tradition, including a creamy soup flavored by the king of English cheeses."

PS...I received another Skype call from my mother in Mexico this morning with instructions from my father. Apparently 'tis très gauche of moi to just recommend a "Riesling". The German was coming at me so fast it was all I could do to write it down, never mind context. So, here goes; should contain the words Kabinet, Mit and/or (can't recall which) Predick. Also, Spätlase means it's from a later, sweeter harvest. And, good regions include the Mosel and Saar River area. And, something about Auslase. Got it? Me neither...

Kindness of my dad for providing me with conversation fodder with Mr. Fahrenkopf, thus saving me from drawing on and revealing my political ignorance...XXOO

Brethren Sale

We hit up the big sale at B2, or the Brethren as ADG fondly refers to them, this past weekend and Babe kindly let me slip a women's fitted Non-Iron French Cuff shirt into his pile at the counter...

It's debut is set for dinner at Sam and Harry's this Friday night along with my recently dusted off love em or leave em Lilly cords...

And, my in seasonal semi-retirement Varinas. Good thing this restaurant's a stones throw from G'town. That way, if I run up against any preppy discrimination, I can hightail it back to safe ground...

Kindness of Amy Fahrenkopf for keeping our dinner date even after reading the outfit spoiler alert...XXOO