I'm ready for my close-up

My friend Nicole lived in New York and worked for a publisher for several years. Her aunt, Alma, works on movies and travels all kinds of places for movie sets. While working on War, she met and started dating Jeremy Conway. Jeremy has places in Manhatten and Fire Island. But here is the important part: Jeremy is the production designer of Sex and the City, the series and the movie. He has also won four Emmy Awards for his work on the Athens, Barcelona, Sydney and Atlanta Olympics.

In an interview for the Daily News, Jeremy said, "Carrie's apartment is not about Carrie," he says. "What she's wearing is where she spends her money, and her apartment is secondary to that. So we started 'flea-ing' and using found pieces she might reupholster."

I know this is a stretch but this is as close to the set of something like Sex and the City as I'll ever get. And if you squint, in the dark, from a distance, I look a little like Sarah Jessica on a bad day!

Wine at Last!

Another big problem with shingles.... you can't drink wine with the medication. But I'm back! I opened two bottles that were recommended at Grapevine Market.

One was a Sauvignon Blanc called Kiwi Cuvee from France.... yes, France, not New Zealand. It was very good and under $10! I went back for more at this price. The other was a chardonnay from Burgundy, France, 2005 Bourgogne, Vincent Girardin. I don't care for oak and I loved this.

But hold on... now I want to find out about the cult following of Two Buck Chuck! Trader Joe's carries these $2 wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, White Zinfandel, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, and limited quantities of Pinot Grigio. These super-value wines began as the result of an oversupply of wine. According to Trader Joe's, "They’ve become the nation’s best-selling wines, not surprising when you consider the combination of low price ($1.99 - $3.49 per bottle, depending on the region)."

Now I can't testify if this stuff is drinkable, but if I can talk my son into putting a bottle in his luggage, I'll let you know. You see, there are lots of Trader Joe's in Phoenix where Scott lives, and he coming to visit in a couple of weeks. (No Trader Joe's in Texas.) Who knows, it won an award at the California State Fair!

More finds from Dale

Need an after five dress? Even if you answer "no", maybe you should find an event to use these gorgeous dresses!

Love this! http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2943286?refsid=209703&refcat=0%7e2376776%7e2378685%7e2380947%7e2380970&SourceID=&SlotID=1&origin=related
PERFECT! And black! Year round

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2965291?refsid=218345&refcat=0%7e2376776%7e2378685%7e2380947%7e2380968&SourceID=&SlotID=1&origin=related
This is hard to find! A cute dress for any age!http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2989240/0~2376776~2374327~2374331~6014133?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6014133&P=2

Would you rather throw your own party? How cute is this! Love the lights and tablecloths! All from Pottery Barn






PS- My shingles are much better. Thank goodness... Victoria (that would be my kitty)is getting bored sitting around listening to me moan!

PAIN

I've had shingles for a week now so there is very little that I find amusing or even interesting.

Shingles is an outbreak of blisters by the same virus that causes chickenpox. It is usually around the waist and can be very painful. Even a light touch can be painful. This information is from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, but I could have told you the same thing from my experience this week. Over 50 percent of people in their 50s who have shingles develop postherpetic neuralgia (This means the pain stays after the shingles are gone.)

From the Mayo Clinic: The pain of shingles can be excruciating, and the cause might not be immediately evident. But once the telltale rash and blisters start on one side of your body, it's more easily identified as shingles.

Any one who has had chickenpox is at risk. There is a vaccine now but you should talk to your doctor about it because it is not for everyone. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/shingles/DS00098

I know I'm talking a lot about the pain but that's all I can think about right now. You can find info about symptoms, treatment, vaccine, etc at the Mayo Clinic Web site above. All I can think about is the pain part.

Exploring the "Local Flavors"

On the Pat's Picks Calendar there was an innocuous little item called "Homegrown Austin" at Grapevine Market. A "tasting event of local flavors." Lots of samples.

Hey, that's for me... samples! They have wines and a neat deli area, so after a glass of wine at home late Saturday afternoon, I set off to sample the local flavors! I didn't realize that there were only two flavors... vodka and rum.

I had no idea that Austin produced so much liquor. Oh, yum, mojitos made with Treaty Oak Platinum Rum. That is so tasty... sort of like a frisky fruit punch. OK, I'll try a tiny sip of Dripping Springs vodka. They need to turn the AC cooler in this place.

No more for me. But wait! Paula's Lemon Liqueur. That is really good.

Now I'm leaving... right past the dark chocolate flavored vodka. Dark chocolate? I love dark chocolate. And they serve half a piece of really great dark chocolate with the vodka so it's not like drinking on an empty stomach.

I'll bet that dark chocolate would be really good with the sample of Fall Creek Iconoclast.

P.S. I took a little nap at my sister's house before driving home.

Celebrate! UT student fashion show

This Friday night (April 25)at 8 pm, 26 UT fashion design students will present their collections at a runway show in the Erwin Center. I can't wait! A runway show! I picture myself in a student version of Project Runway.

Which reminds me, you do know that Tim Gunn will be in town on April 23. At Dillard's. 6 pm. He is the Chief Creative Officer of Liz Claiborne. Yes, I've read his book and Nina Garcia's black book.

Back to the UT show.....evening wear, daywear, and bridal designs will be shown. These seniors have been working on their collections all semester and will have this opportunity to show them in a formal show to fashion industry standards.

A pre-show exposition will begin at 7 pm and will highlight programs and research activities. Both events are free. If you go, I'll be the one right up front watching every detail!

Margaret's adventures in dieting

Today I'm passing on Margaret Patterson's comments about dieting:


When it comes to diets, I’ve tried them all. Each works great until a king size Snicker that was hiding in the fridge beneath a package of corn tortillas suddenly appears and silently screams, “Eat Me!” Like Alice in Wonderland, who couldn’t resist those same words, I eat.

Fortunately for Alice, eating the cake emblazoned with “Eat Me” only made her grow to be nine-feet tall. My lack of will power is making another part of my anatomy look at least nine-feet wide, even if it isn’t -- at least not yet.

My love affair with food didn’t begin until I stopped smoking. Quitting wasn’t easy. Like most quitters, I tried unsuccessfully to do so at least three times. My family, my doctor, my good sense all told me to quit, but I owe my 40 years of cigarette-free living to one thing -- jerky.

One day during hunting season, my father-in-law was making jerky. He carefully placed strips of soft red meat on trays which he put into a small smoke house.

When the meat came out it was dry, tough, leather-looking, but darn tasty. I took one look at that dark, dry, wrinkled jerky and thought, “That is exactly what my face is going to look like 10 years from now if I don’t stop “taking it to the smoke house.” I quit that same day.

Maybe I should buy a three-way mirror!