1, 2, 3, To a Darker Me

Today marks my second spray tanning experience. In fact, I'm sitting in my living room in my skivvies at this very moment, letting my golden glow settle in. I know, I know – so vain, a waste of money, blah blah blah. I don't necessarily disagree, yet here I am – gradating before my very eyes and pretty okay with the whole thing. It's not a regular thing for me (hence it only being my second experience), but when it comes to wearing cocktail dresses in the middle of winter, it's really the safest option. 

The lady who beamed me up told me – as I was standing there in all my glorious splendor – that she remembered me (from the last time I went...about 8 months ago, mind you), and that I've lost weight since last time I was in. I have categorical evidence to the contrary, and I recognize that she probably says that to every single person who walks in that door, but yes, yes that did earn her another buck or two in tip.

As I sit here drying, I can't help but wonder when it became acceptable to strip down in front of a perfect stranger and let them re-color your body. Or let an esthetician get up-close-and-personal and introduce you to Brazil. O-M-G! I just remembered another outrageous interesting thing this lady told me. She has a master's degree – A MASTER'S DEGREE – in tanning (TaNnInG)! That's right. I can't wait to see the edge that gives me this weekend. I just hope nobody found a tanner with a doctorate!

Yoga, Day 1 (Again)

Sarai and I mean well.

Every time we see a Groupon or Living Social deal for something that’s fitness related and in Uptown we turn into Pavlov’s dogs and can’t help ourselves. Something about the idea of becoming hot little yoga girls or hardcore bootcampers gets us every time. Unfortunately, our follow-through has not – historically – been stellar.

Over the summer we tried Bikram yoga, as documented here. That post marked our 3rd, and final, visit. This fall we hit up bootcamp. It was b-r-u-t-a-l. All 3 times we went. =) Anyone else seeing a trend here? In our defense, bootcamp started at 6pm, which was really hard to get to so soon after work. So what about today? Today marks the beginning of our latest trial – yoga, take two. Unlike the first studio, this place isn’t blazing hot inside, although it's still hot (I was unaware of this detail when we signed up). 

After class – and after a trip to Whole Foods where we, unsucessfully, searched for some miracle vitamin Sarai's read about online that’s apparently the answer to our all of our weight-loss woes – we made a plan. Like we do every time. Because Day 1 is all about the excitement and the energy and all that good stuff!!! Since our other plans haven't ever exactly come to fruition, though, we decided to lower the bar a bit (new year, new standards, people!). Instead of pretending we’re going to be little yogi warriors, we’re just going to aim for going twice per week. We'll see how that unfolds in the coming weeks...

We took a picture of our sweat-drenched bodies after class. Upon further consideration, I've decided that posting that here isn't going to be a good thing for anyone. So instead, I’ll leave you with this little video from several years ago. It is, in fact, much more representative of where things usually end up with the two us...late night and stomachs full of Taco C. Cheers!

In The Kitchen

I already professed my new found love for the MiracleWare Microwave Egg Poacher over what was obviously a rousing dinner conversation Saturday night, but for those of you who missed it – you need to know. I am a big fan of Eggs Benedict, but I don't like Hollandaise sauce and I can take or leave the ham, which essentially boils down to me just liking poached eggs. But for whatever reason, poaching eggs always seemed like a fancy cooking skill to me, so I never attempted it.

Last week, though, I decided to go to Bed Bath & Beyond to get whatever was necessary for this "egg poaching" business. There were a few options, so naturally I opted not only for the cheapest (just $3.99), but also the laziest option – a plastic concoction that you simply crack eggs into then pop in the microwave for one minute. Now that I've had this handy little device for a week, all I have to say is O. M. G. I've already used it (more than once), and it's awesome. Cheap, easy, and yummy. Perfection! 

My next kitchen miracle purchase is definitely going to be super size cupcake pans (like these) from Hobby Lobby. We went to Jack's b-day party this weekend, and Stacy's mom had made cupcakes that looked SO amazing. She said the trick was using bigger pans, which make the cupcakes look way fancier. Had the roads not been TREACHEROUS today from the inclement weather, I'd probably have them already. Regardless, they will soon be mine and ready for testing. Anne's 30th birthday might be just the occasion for their debut. Yum!

Jack Turns 1

Happy Birthday, little man. You are very loved!

Happy New Year!

{Fergie sings} I gotta feeling that this year's gonna be a good year...that this year's gonna be a good year...that this year's gonna be a good good year...

It's true, I have high hopes for 2011. Not just for me, but for all of my friends and especially for my family. I think it would be fair to say that 2010 was a pretty mixed bag, but there's a lot going on that I think is bound to be good/better/fun/exciting in 2011. Cheers to positive thinking! And happy 2011! (I'll see you all at the gym.) 

H&M Pop-up Shop

Alright Dallas girls (and boys, if you so desire)...you've probably heard by now that H&M is finally coming to Dallas in the Spring of 2011. But what you might not have heard is that starting tomorrow, Wednesday, 12/8, a pop-up H&M is going to open at Northpark for the holidays. Merry Christmas to me! And you! And you, and you, and you!!! All of this is according to The D Magazine Shop Talk blog. Supposedly the pop-up shop will be in the old Express spot, across from Henri Bendel. Enjoy!!