You're Either On The Bus or You're Off The Bus.....

Back when I was in high school and college- I fantasized about being a hippie in the sixties.  The Summer of Love and Haight/Ashbury and so on... it all seemed so romantic to me.  Naturally, I went to as many Dead shows as possible (without actually ever touring because I am not particularly adventurous like that).  I was fascinated with all that surrounded the whole hippie culture (or counterculture, perhaps?).  Of course, I read up on all things related, including Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters (though come to think of it, I never completely read the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test- how odd.  Must add to my "after grad school reading list").  Any how, as we all know, the Merry Pranksters traveled America in a painted bus, living the bohemian life which consisted of dropping acid and whatnot.  This led to Ken Kesey famously saying, "You're either on the bus or you're off the bus...."  Meaning of course, either you "got" their lifestyle or you didn't, you were with them or you weren't.  And as an aside, was I ever excited to learn the Neal Cassady drove the bus(THE Neal Cassady and by that I mean Dean Moriarty from my beloved On The Road- is everyone still with me?)!  Oh, the irony of course that Jack Kerouac was none too fond of the whole hippie movement- but never mind that right now.  Continuing on- my point is that to me saying that someone was "on the bus" meant that most likely they were a fried acid casualty. Until this happened....

My son has a security blanket that he loves to drag around and sniff.  He calls it noo noo.  And in an unfortunate event recently, on the way home from the babysitter's, we accidentally left noo noo on the bus.  Of course I panicked but noo noo never turned up in the lost and found (what a surprise, that tattered thing?) But it actually turned out okay- I replaced it with a new one (stupid me but that is a different story...) and we talk about the old one occasionally.   For example, the other day he told me that our cat smelled like noo noo on the bus.  But then yesterday my poor son couldn't find his favorite Thomas train and he was growing increasingly frantic as we looked for it.  Finally he grabbed my hand and said "Where is he?  Did we throw him out?  Is he in the garbage?"  and then after a short pause his eyes widened, his voice got a little more quiet and he said, "Is he....on the bus?" It broke my heart a little but still I had to laugh to myself and say, "No,Thomas the Tank Engine is most definitely not on the bus!  I think I can say for certain Thomas is off the bus!"
-35

Valentine's Day Gift - Part II

Oh my, 35 is funny, isn't she?  I may have to buy that cute little teddy for my hubby.

I have been thinking about Valentine's Day gifts, too, which is kinda sad, since my valentine never gives me anything.  Anyway, my idea is not as a funny as 35's teddy bear, but I promise your loved one will love it for years to come. 

Curious?  Get your valentine one of these:

Or one of these:

35 gave me a clementine tree for my birthday this year.  It definitely ranks as one of my top ten favorite gifts EVER.  I am hoping for a lemon tree next year. 

Buy the trees here.

Man, I hope I get this for Valentine's Day.....

If you are not lucky enough to get this as a gift this Valentine's Day (or you want to give it to a loved one) you can buy this lovely little teddy bear here.

-35

Fabulous Sixties

I finally watched A Single Man.  I don't know what took me so long, considering the imaginary, torrid love affair I am having with Tom Ford.  The whole movie was gorgeous (naturally) but this girl was my favorite.  I love the way all she did was stare and smoke.  And she has a fabulous (albeit a little trite) sixties look.
-35

My Couch Fantasy

Ha ha, funny.  Because I have been having my plaid couch fantasy again.  I love plaid.  I have always loved plaid.  I am sort of partial to plaid pants but I'll take any item of clothing in plaid.  Really, makes no difference to me.  Of course, it has to be a good plaid- not any old cheap looking plaid will do.  And no more Burberry check, please- I'm tired of it.  But lately I have been dreaming about a plaid couch again (the need comes and goes)- how fantastic would that be?   But good ones are not easy to come by.  In fact, I haven't found a single one I really like.  I mean there is this one from Anthroplogie.  But, well, it sort of, um, misses the the mark (Sorry, Anthro- no offense).

But why don't these other two lovelies come in plaid?  Is it too much to ask?  Surely, I am not the only one who has a plaid couch fantasy. 

-35

p.s. to 40- yes, I did recently change my ultimate dream couch from the DWR Theatre to the DWR Bantam.  I don't know why, I just did.  And blue velvet is nice, but wouldn't it be a pet hair magnet?  Just saying......

Urban Outfitters



Design Within Reach



Dreaming of Blue Velvet Couches

I am dreaming of blue velvet couches. 

Any one of these would be more than welcome in my home.



What do you think?

Yummy Kahlua Pound Cake Recipe

I made this cake this week.

You can add frosting, too.

There are a few steps to the recipe, but the end result is worth the extra effort.

Try it.  You'll like it.

Kahlua Pound Cake:
Kahlua Fudge
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup coffee-flavored liqueur
1/4 cup water

Cake
3/4 cup milk
1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 large eggs, at room temperature
4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda

Kahlua Glaze
4 oz semisweet chocolate
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp heavy cream
2 tbsp coffee-flavored liqueur

1.  Make fudge:  In saucepan, over low heat, mix ingredients.  Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring.  Cool.
2.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Grease and flour 10 in. tube pan.
3.  Make cake:  In small glass measure, mix milk and vanilla.  In large bowl of electric mixer, at high speed, beat butter and sugar 3 minutes or until fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Add flour (in fourths) alternately with milk mixture (in thirds), beginning and ending with flour.  Spoon one third of batter (about 2 1/2 cups) into medium bowl.  Stir baking soda into fudge; stri into batter in medium bowl.  Pour half of remaining plain batter into tube pan.  Top with fudge batter; add remaining plain batter.  Bake 1 hour and 40 minutes or utnil tester insesrted in cake comes out clean.  Cool cake in pan on wire rack 15 minutes; invert onto rack.
4.  Make glaze:  In food processor, chop chocolate.  In saucepan, heat butter, cream and liqueur to boiling.  With motor running, pour into chocolate; process until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.  Cool completely; drizzle over cake.
Makes 20 servings.

Notes:  I baked this in a bundt pan and it turned out fine.  Also, when making the glaze, I chopped the chocolate with a knife and poured the chocolate into the saucepan of cream and liqueur.  I was too lazy to take out my food processor.