drama

I'm sure it has something to do with the number of women that work at my place of employment; but this year has been the year of drama. Each day seems to end with a cliffhanger teasing you to come back the next day to see how it will play out.

Unfortunately I've unwittingly gotten myself a starring role this week by suggesting a new place to enjoy our office "snack" table rather than in front of the community bathroom. Now that the new room has been secured; every closet decorator is coming out wanting to add their "magic" to what was supposed to be a "simple, quiet" space. Geesh.

How's the drama in your office?

sleep

How much sleep do you get? I average about 6 hours each night during the week but then make up for it on the weekends and enjoy a much needed 8-9 hours Friday and Saturday night.

lola

Happy 1/2 year old Lola! from benson on Vimeo.

Miss Lola turned 6 months old over the weekend and we just can't believe it. She's a bundle of energy but cautious when it comes to new adventures; she loves to sleep late when Mom does; she would play chase and fetch all day if we were so inclined. Lola has changed our lives and we're kind of loving it.
ps. okay, okay...if you don't watch the whole minute--take a look at 1:09--that face!

new series girl crush

Wow. This season of TV is giving us so many great girls to admire,laugh with, and have huge girl crushes on. Just saw "Prime Suspect" on NBC/Thursdays starring Maria Bello and was blown away. Such a great character, story, and Bello is so badass to watch. Love what she says about her character:
"Jane is incredibly frank; honest to a fault; says it like it is; doesn't speak out of both sides of her mouth and doesn't like people who don't live up to that." I seriously need Jane at my place of employment.

*sorry you have to deal with the commercials..ugh.

weekend!

Who's ready to escape work and have some fun? Thought so. Play hard, eat good, and get a couple of belly rubs.

so happy together

Were you invited to Barbie and Ken's wedding? Lucky for us that photographer Beatrice de Guigne was there and caught all the special moments between that classic couple. See more here.

cleaning out

It must be the change in seasons that makes me want to clean out and reorganize my bedroom closet. Folding up the sleeveless tees, the linen dresses, and adding in sweaters, jackets, and scarves. I love this time of year.

memories

Thanks to Barbra for singing her best for our cat Gabby who is becoming of a certain age. The girl is 15+ years old but recently we’ve started to see loss of reflex, speed, and agility. This song can easily make me feel weepy for her past but grateful for her presence in our lives.

 Also in cat news, we have a strange, bold kitty who has most recently become a cat burglar. The unknown white adolescent feline is maimed in one paw but has been caught (more than once) sneaking in through our dog door late at night and eating any kibble that Lola has left behind. The cat bolts as soon as it hears me but it has journeyed as far as our kitchen. Hungry cat was also in our laundry room one morning in the summer and elderly Gabby was none too pleased. Snaps for perseverance.

I just heard from a college friend that her father had passed away in his sleep at 80 years old. It is her and her husband’s first experience with death in their immediate family and it has made them realize how fragile her mother is now that the husband is gone. She was a fierce tiger during our college years and I was there on more than one occasion when mother/daughter arguments would erupt. 
My friend mentioned how her husband (who her mother had begged not to marry) was now helping her bereaved mother with  debit cards, bill paying, and financial responsibility that comes along with a loss of a spouse.

So not to be a total buzzkill; let’s end with this. This video was filmed in London (with NYC overlays) in September 1981. The take is live and behind a nervous Barbra is a full symphony orchestra with Andrew Lloyd Webber conducting (no studio tricks on this one). Amazing.

better late...

I realize that mineral make-up has been around for years and I'm sure I tried some form or another of it but recently jumped on the bandwagon once more with Bare Minerals and gotta say...kind of loving it.
Never been into experimenting with the latest and greatest for my face but after reading mention after mention of this mineral-based foundation that gives flawless coverage on Into The Gloss (a blog/website that spotlights people in the industry and their choice for lotions, potions, and cosmetics) I decided to give it a try. Another bonus is that it's actually good for your skin without parabens,dyes, sulfates and stuff you don't need.
I also bought the highly applauded "Make-up Forever" which is a finishing powder "that softens the appearance of imperfections. Completely evens out the complexion for a glowing, radiant look. One universal shade for all skin tones."
Both have made me very happy and it only takes a minute to feel pulled together amd "finished" in the morning.

weekend

Our town is the host for a pre-party celebrating our state's 100th birthday in early 2012 this weekend. Over 20,000 people are expected in for the next couple of days and our town square is closed off for the celebration. We'll be checking out the fun tomorrow but tonight I've got a massage on the "to do" list immediately after work...sounds like the beginning of a great weekend. Hope yours is too!

time saver

I'm sort of a freak with cleaning up clutter on my computer that could make it run slow. I guess I feel like since I don't get a new computer every year I need to make the one I have last as long as possible.
That being said I just found out (and you may already know this) that the biggest time suck on your hard drive are videos and videos that you don't realize you have. For the Windows people: click "start" "search" "pictures,music,video" and then "video" and delete those videos that you're clueless how they got there. Wow...my girl is running at top speed today.

DOTS in motion

In July we hooked up with BlueLily photographers Wendy and Tyler to shoot Dressing on the Side in Portland. We got great pictures, a fun-filled day, and an amazing little film we'd love to share. Enjoy!

ps. If you ever get the chance to have your sweet face captured by Wendy and Tyler on their world tour...don't hesitate..sign up!

no rhyme or reason

I found both of these on etsy and am smitten. A cat. in glasses. seriously. what's not to love? And her hair. with that hat. sigh. etsy is so good.

sweet

can Ruby get any sweeter? I think not.

ready, set...

Are you ready for the weekend? for Fall? for a change? I love this time of year...the crisp clear mornings and planning meals that linger in the oven. My work is non-stop so I think I'll be taking the weekend to breathe and enjoy the change in seasons. What about you?

and if all your friends were jumping...

we hope you would jump too! Please help Dressing on The Side (that would be my t-shirt business) win a billboard in Times Square...as in New York City Times Square! It's beyond easy to do --click HERE and on the right hand side it asks you to click to vote. The contest ends 9/20 and we're in the top 5% at this point...crossing our fingers...and THANK YOU for joining us in jumping for joy!
ps. you can vote EVERY day and we would love it if you would!

did you know?

Back in the golden years (that would be those years before all this recession business hit...) there was no second thought of buying $300 sunglasses. I live in Arizona and a girl's eyes need to be protected so why not do it in style?
I impulsively bought invested in Oliver Peoples and Chanel sunglasses to my eye's delight and threw them around in my car or on my desk without a care in the world. They're classic and I still like them but my cavalier care with them led to scratches on the lenses.
Did you know that the high end sunglass designers will replace lenses for a small fee? I just sent my Oliver Peoples into their repair shop and for $40 I will be getting new lenses to replace the scarred and scratched originals. Little did I know that the lenses for these are "hand dyed and hand cut to insure a perfect match to the frame" and you can be sure I'll take better care this go round.
How to do it? Go to your designer's website and contact them with your problem and they should be able to help...my Chanel quilted frame glasses are next in line.

*pic via theglamourai.com

Lola is growing up

 Hard to believe that Lola is 5 months old now. We got her when she was just a little lamb at 2 months/8 pounds and now she's 30+ pounds but still a young puppy at heart.

The nice thing about getting older is that social skills are improving and we can have play dates with other dogs. Two sister Scotties came by last week to spend the afternoon (this post was going to be titled "two black girls come to visit" but I nixed it). Three year old Bianca and Kate are so well behaved and so quick darting here and there, over and under, up and down rocks, grass, and any other obstacle in our back yard. It was exhausting just to watch.

Lola kept up with them but had lots of snooze time the next day. And so did we.

R&R

Last weekend was crazy busy with traveling and taking care of a toddler so rest and relaxation are on the agenda for this three day weekend ahead. What are your plans? enjoy!