Do You Know This Man??

 

If you answered “No” than you need to tune into Bravo to watch Flipping Out on Tuesday nights. Jeff Lewis is maybe the craziest person (of the normal non-LA population) or funniest actor on television.

I just love watching these actors preform their “reality” improv. These characters show true talents even Larry David would applaud. I love the real estate/design element but I also love pure insanity of Jeff Lewis. My favorite scenes are watching Lewis calmly and strategically harass people. He knows what buttons to press to stir people up but puts pressure one these buttons ever so softly.

Tune in and enjoy.

 

Simple Pleasures.

Hello to all readers.  I am trying to get back in the saddle again on blogging.  Sorry for the lapse in hilarity.

Anyhow, you may not know that only a year ago AppleHubs was a mere graduate student and we were living in some University family housing.  It really was a lovely place to call home–we had two bedrooms, a pretty courtyard to stare at, and the dulcet tones of hundreds of hippie children frolicking.

However, along with cheap subsidized living comes some small injustices in the life of a grownup.  To me the worst was the lack of three key appliances from our home: a dishwasher and a washer/dryer.  Now it was Applehubs that did all the dishes, so he was the one who felt the pain on that.  However, as you can probably tell from this blog, I have a lot of clothes.  So the laundry piles up.  It was definitely not my favorite moment of the week when I would heave all the laundry down to the community laundry room.  One of two things would happen.  All the machines would be full, or you would have a chance to load in.  If the machines are full, you have the choice–do I leave my stuff down here under this scratched table, or heave it back?  I feel like these community laundry rooms are like an untapped psychological experiment waiting to happen.  Watching other people in there, seeing the way they do their laundry, seeing how much laundry, what their clothes are, and lastly their obnoxious/cutthroat/lazy/rude/disrespectful way they treat others laundry and others in the laundry room.  My absolute MOST HATED thing was when people would take my clothes out of my machine and make a pile. DON’T F-ING TOUCH MY STUFF. EW. Your hands probably just tossed your naked hippie child into the air or fed him a cube of cheese.  I do not want that hand on my delicates there buddy.  Once I caught someone taking my stuff out and the look I gave him could have frozen time like the Frozen Monkey Wheel Ben pushed on LOST (that will be another post).

You can imagine my pure delight when we were able to join civilization and grownups everywhere when we moved north to this city and our apartment had a dishwasher AND a laundry closet. Oh the joy.  I swear the sound of that machine filling and spinning, the liberating act of tossing clothes in to be washed ANYTIME I want, oh its one of the simple pleasures in life.  The other day I washed a Longchamp bag on delicate on its OWN just cause I could make it look better.  I mean, the LUXURY of that.  It even makes me want to fold the stuff.  Pure happiness, laundry-in-your-apartment is.

You might think the life of the clothes in my life couldn’t get better, but it does.  No longer do my dry cleaning items have to wait for months until I get my life together to get it to the nearest shady Kleaners location.  No no, not my clothes.  My clothes have Laundry Locker.  In my swanky building, these amazing people will pick up my clothes in a bag, then return them hanging and clean the NEXT day.  This may sound like I am paid by the company but I swear I am not.  Its literally like little laundry elves take my stuff and make it new in 24 hours.  It looks so good!  And huge bonus points for putting the BR weird button cuff links in a ziploc baggie! Dream.

So what have we learned?

Its the simple things that make me happy.
My life has not been that exciting lately.

 

Input on Madewell

Hello all,

Long time no talk.  I will explain my absence in another post–soon.  In the meantime, I wanted to pass along my thought on Madewell.

I have a different perspective on Madewell as I got a chance to visit the brick and mortar store in SoHo over the spring.  I am really fascinated by in-store experiences that retailers build, and Madewell did not disappoint.  Here are some pics:

The store had all the fun makings of a great westcoastapple experience–great pops of color, unique decor, bright and airy feeling, and nice dressing rooms.  I loved the greenhouse walkthrough and how the store made you feel like you were let into the Madewell studio–you were part of the idea, you could see how the mood board had come together, etc.  They wanted customers to be a part of the experience–they had a bulletin board where you could add your own message.

As far as the clothes, I think (as usual) I stick to the basics, but I know their boots are supposed to be amazing and their jeans too. When I was there I fell in love with a linen tailored soldier jacket that I wish I would have bought. Also, I think they will be online soon…woohoo! Try it out.

 

Summer School

OK everyone.  We are now in the doldrums of summer TV nothingness.  I am even tempted to watch that ABC show Wipeout, just to see those people bounce off those red rubber balls.  After seeing the preview about 42736 or 42737 times, AppleHubs believes he even knows how he would tackle said Red Rubber Ball Gauntlet.  He actually talks to the TV: “OK, those people need to bounce across like its a trampoline, like big two footed hops.” Umm, ok AppleHubs I will make sure to pass this along to my closest WipeOut contestant.

But I digress.  In this time without much good TV to watch, its time to catch up with the best shows so that you are ready for the fall season and you contribute to the greater good of facilitating good TV.

A few you must put on your Amazon Cart or Netflix Queue are:

If you don’t watch LOST, you’re just plain crazy.  Its by far the best show on television, as you probably have figured out from my previous blog posts.

Amazing show on AMC, shot beautifully, great characters, and a familiar office plotline. Great TV.

Please help me love this show.  I love Coach, his wife, Riggins, etc etc.  The characters are great, the music is great–and its not really about football.

Start catching up on your work for the summer and hopefully this fall will make the grade!!

 

Black Tie Optional…

So, a very special wedding is coming up on the west coast, and I can’t wait!  Of course this means finding the perfect dress for the event of the year//century.  One challenge with this wedding for me is that it is Black Tie Optional.  I have to say I was confused about that.  What I have figured out is that this means ApppleHubs will wear a black suit, and I will get to buy a fab cocktail dress.  Can’t argue with that!  Another way I have put it is: don’t wear a dress you would wear to a cousin’s midwestern high school graduation. Fair enough.  

With that, I need your help, readers!  I have ordered 3 dresses, which are below.  Now, you don’t know what I look like, nor how these dresses look on me.  But feel free to leave your thoughts.  A few hints: I have blond/light brown hair and blue eyes.  I am working on a tan for this pale skin.  I like to boogie.

(Sorry this one is small cause its now sold out and had to use the thumbnail)

I hope this will be Black Tie Optional enough!  I can’t wait for this exciting wedding, and can’t wait to try on the above dresses.  Thanks in advance for your opinions, and thanks Nordstroms!

 

Pop Quiz Response: WestCoastApple

Thanks for the Pop Quiz, Harlow!  I was looking for a little jumpstart to get back blogging.  I have missed you all!  More to come!

OK, here are the things that ended up in my Shopping Bag after the sale started:

This pretty Joelle Cami has been waiting in the shopping cart for a while.  I love the way the navy looks (for some reason from February to September everything I buy is Navy) and think this will be killer with white jeans or a skirt.

Next is this Featherweight Merino Tunic.  I actually bought it in Sour Lemon, a pretty yellow color, but it seems to be sold out a day later so here it is in Brilliant Blue!  I like a little bright color in the summer–colors I might usually stay away from but look great with a little tan!  I think this piece is great if you live somewhere where summer means unpredictable temps–like here in SF.

Lastly is this Cashmere Argyle Ruffle Cardigan.  Sadly, at $119.99 it was too steep to get the nod this time.  PLus its hard to justify cashmere argyle in June!  But I think this would look great with unexpected pinstripe trousers in the fall.  I keep waiting for the price to drop on this one!!

Keep on shopping!

 

I love you, Polar Seltzer with Raspberry Lime

Dear Polar Seltzer with Raspberry Lime,

Long time no see. I have missed our afternoon meetings in the dimly lit break room, next to the stacks of unwanted CDs and random baked goods. (By the way – whoever baked that banana bread with the cream cheese frosting the other day, thanks a whole hell of a lot for the 4 hours of excruciating torment until people finally ate the damn thing and I could stop circling playing “you can eat it, it’s okay, no it’s not, don’t eat it..okay eat it!” in my head).

Anywhoo, PSwRL, you make every day better. You make me feel weirdly full when I chug you and my stomach fills with carbonation. You make me sneeze sometimes when the fresh and poppy little bubbles go in my nose. You have a cute little bear on you. I came to enjoy our time, the feeling of your cold can in my hand, the tinny popping noises you made next to my computer, before I went to that really long meeting I had forgotten about and then you were warm and flat when I got back. (Sorry about that).

And then something went awry, PSwRL. And you were gone, gone for too long. In your place was the maniacal little scrolling SOLD OUT banner, mocking me and my unsatisfactory remaining choice between Orange Crush or Mug Root Beer. But I kept coming back, every day right around 3pm. And one day, you were back. My hands shook as I straightened and smoothed my dollar bill (you cost $0.85 now. WTF is up with that?) and fed it to the machine. vEND popped up, and I could hear you making your clunky little aluminum journey to the swinging door. As soon as I reached for you, I knew something was wrong. You were yellow. Jaundice? No. You were LEMON FLAVORED. This is not what I wanted. Now I felt spurned. You had sent an inferior version of you to visit me in your place. As if I would  not notice.

Well, now you are back. I know because I saw someone else drinking you. And I said, “HEY WHERE DID YOU GET THAT!?!??!?!??!” and lunged at their can.

So I went and bought you. I was still a little hurt at first, but now that we’re together, I think I can let the past be the past.

But I trust you know I will not forgive your dalliances a second time.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Harlow

 

A few musings…

Hello there readers…a few quick thoughts for Tuesday

First, did anyone else see the Duggars on the Today Show last Friday.  If you don’t know the Duggars they are a family with 17 kids.  All the kids names start with J, and they have their own Discovery Health shows, hour specials where you see them eating 12 loaves of bread in a day, building a huge dorm/house, and generally making merry with their kin.  Its quite the spectacle.  Anyway.  On Friday they were on the Today in honor of Mothers Day, all 19 of them.  While on the segment, they surprised the 17 kids with the news that they are expecting #18.  My own shock was nothing compared to the funny/awkward/surprised/scared/naivelyhappy reactions of the 17 other kids.  You know the oldest one, a guy who is probably 21, now realizes–ok that does it I officially have the craziest family and need to get to a Party School ASAP.

Next, I have to comment on last week’s American Idol.  Now that we are getting down to the wire, the contestants have to step it up.  Last week Jason just tanked and the judges let him know it.  Jason, being AppleHubs least favorite Bob-Marley-impersonator, looked actually relieved to be leaving last week.  Can’t blame the guy for trying.  I am pretty excited for tonight’s sing-a-palooza.  I hope Syesha rocks it out and makes this a real race.  Wondering if she could split the David vote? Hmm.

Next–LOST. is. Amazing. right now.  Every episode is getting better and better to move at fever pitch towards this year’s finale. Every episode gives us more information and also more questions–its so great to hear all the fans coming up with such amazing theories right now.  I can’t help but feel this nagging sense of dread as I feel the moment coming soon where theres sort of a “great divide”–I know it will be rough on viewers, especially this viewer!

This week promises to be a great TV week too–Office finale, Idol Final 3, LOST greatness, etc.  Wahoo!

Well I guess that was mostly TV Musings instead of general musings.  More to come!

 

Signs of 2008//the Apocalypse

OK a quick word here from the west coast.

Yesterday AppleHubs and I were at our building’s Fitness Center for an afternoon workout.  We try to go about 4 times a week and we always see a new rotating cast of characters every time we go.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Mirror-Watcher Girl who works out in hotpants, sportsbra, and barefoot.

Puma Track Jacket Guy who reads and lifts barbells over his head on the elliptical.

Steroid-Guy who brings his girlfriend to watch him lift and she text messages meekly as he grunts.

Funnily enough, we hardly ever see the same people night after night, just once in a while.  BUT yesterday, I saw a new guy.

MacBook-TaeBo-Watcher guy.

I noticed this guy in the corner of the weight area, sort of looking down at the wall, and doing funny calisthenics, jumping jacks, sort of gymboree type dance moves.  I was like hmm that guy has carved out a small little space in the weight room to dance in his own little world.  Dance on, my friend.  It wasn’t til I went over to the bicep curl machine and sat down when I realized what he was doing.  He had his MacBook on the floor, playing a workout video, and he was jigging along with it. ?!?!

First, if you are doing a workout video, why come to the gym.  Why not do the GYM at the gym?  Are we so tech immersed that an iPod is not good enough?

Wow dude, you take the prize of Gym Character.

 

Fun with YouTube/Happy Birthday Shiloh/Randomest Post Ever

OK somehow I ended up stumbling through YouTube late tonight and I came along these gems from Sesame Street in the 80s. AppleHubs and I agreed that the below clip, which we both remembered vividly, was the most absurd upon 20 year reflection. Umm. You are bringing a llama to the dentist office, really?

Some of my earliest memories are James Taylor in the car and Sesame Street skit (related–and this clip is the star alignment of those two things.

I am older than Shiloh and Harlow who might not remember, but here goes….it first aired in 1980.

And now MANY years later our family still loves JT. Here is a video of one of the family faves, in honor of Shiloh’s Birthday! Happy Big Day!

Don’t hate me for the YouTube binge.