The Newest Member to our Family: Matilda

A few months ago, a very special package came in the mail. It was my belated Christmas present from Rob…my once in a lifetime boots!

During the weeks leading up to Christmas, I found myself searching the thrift stores for some boots. My old brown ones were beat up and abused, and I wanted something new and fresh. But, I was disappointed by all the boots I found, at both the swanky mall stores and the thrift stores. They all looked cheap, ugly, were made of fake leather, and felt uncomfortable. So, I got a Christmas poem from Robert promising to buy me once in a life time boots. To prohibit me from scavenging for these boots, he set a rather high minimum price. I knew I had to get a pair of Frye boots.

It was fun and nerve wracking looking in the swanky stores and online for these special boots.

For a long time I was going to get a basic pair of Frye boots, like the Fiona:

But, my mouth fell open when I saw Matilda!I ordered both pairs from Endless shoes to do a bit of at-home-comparison-shipping. When they came in the mail, I experimented with a few outfits. Matilda's neo-victorian style and luscious red leather demands a very simple dress or skirt to pull off the look. Fiona easily went with just about anything. It was a tough choice to make, especially because it really boiled down to practicality versus whimsy. Fiona felt instantly comfortable, but Matilda helped me reach new heights (5'8), which presented some initial walking challenges. Ultimately, my Napoleon complex won out, and Matilda has a special place as my most valuable piece of clothing.


I've successfully paired them with a simple brown or black skirt combo. For one night on the town, I did a little color/texture clashing with a bright green lacy tank and Victorian choker with a form fitting skirt. It was funky, but I felt good in it and confidence can make anything fabulous!



Admittedly, these aren't the best pictures, but the fact that spring has sprung has led my mind to wander towards warm weather fashions, and I think Matilda has a decidedly fall-winter look. I'm sure by next fall I'll have all sorts of Matilda inspired fashion breakthroughs! This week I'm feeling more excited by summer dresses, sandals, light jackets, and bright colors!

The Magnetic **yawn** Fields

For a long time, if you were to ask me who my favorite band was, I probably would have just said The Magnetic Fields. I love how they write quirky lyrics, experiment with a lot of styles, and have the talent to make the entire product sound flawless. Some of my favorite songs have been written by The Magnetic Fields, so it seemed easy enough to scoot them up to the status of Best Band Ever in my personal hall of fame.



Well, the band took a serious dive in the hall of fame after I saw them on concert this last Tuesday. Granted, I’m not sure exactly what I expected, and Rob and my friend who joined us both worried that the mellow band would be a total snooze on stage. I maintained faith however. I thought about how some mellow bands still find ways to be inventive on stage and engage their audience through their charisma and talent. Since this group has such a devoted fan base, I figured something would happen to make it fun.

Not so much.

They came out, stared down at their instruments, and played the songs identical to how they sound on CD. Sometimes the lead male singer and one of the female singers would banter a bit on stage, but I thought the deadpan reminisces were just dead. The band members seemed disconnected from the show, and I got the feeling they were bored and didn’t want to be there. At one point, someone from the crowd shouted out a song title during the encore, and in his baritone voice the lead male singer says, “We don’t interact with the audience.”



Funny, I thought a concert was for the audience to enjoy, not just a practice session for you or a big chore to cross off your to do list. Interaction between the band and the audience is half the fun! Otherwise, just stay at home at listen to the cd. Three of the five band members never spoke during the whole show: not to introduce themselves, not to say a few funny words, they were just blank. Hardly anyone laughed or even cracked a smile on stage. This is an indie-pop-rock concert, not a sermon! What a gaggle of curmudgeons!

I did read in an interview somewhere that they don't mind that their mellow concerts are sometimes more like book readings. What an insult to book readings! Just because it's a book reading doesn't mean it has to be dull; an author can still project personality and finesse.

On the plus side, they are incredibly talented at what they do. The fact that they can recreate the CD quality of many of their songs is really neat. It’s just unfortunate they couldn’t be a little more playful on stage. Do they take themselves that seriously?


Well, it would seem that The Decemberists just got a promotion. I am in adoration of their Hazards of Love album!

It's Weekday Movie Night!

Since my work schedule has been somewhat hectic and definitely draining of my energy, it’s been hard to be productive after work or during the weekends. Why attend to cooking healthy meals, heading to the gym, or working on house projects when I can stare at a TV and drool?

Not so pretty, but really, motivation has been scarce in our residence as of late.

One trick Robert and I have implemented, at first on an accidental basis, but now on a traditional basis, is the week day movie night. This is a night where we order take-out food, drive it home, and camp out in front of a movie while drinking rootbeer.


Thinking back to my more reckless youth, it’s hilarious to think that this is me being wild and crazy. What? Drinking soda? Eating fast food? Watching a feature length film? **Gasp** I guess I'm just a rebel like that.

One night it was BurgerMaster and Julie and Julia. I know, how ridiculous are we to watch a movie about French cooking while chowing down on greasy American burgers, but somehow it just felt right.


Another week, we ordered pizza and had a few friends over to watch the Indie Sci-Fi flick, Moon.

Another night it was Chicken Teriyaki and Doubt. I was very impressed by Doubt by the way. Meryl Streep’s portrayal of the character really did it for me.


And most recently it was Teriyaki (there are two competing chains near our place, and we wanted to see which one is superior…as suspected, it’s a toss-up) and Pineapple Express. I absolutely adored Pineapple Express and laughed my a$$ off.

Anyways, these weekday movie nights really help me get through the week. It gives both of us a break from cooking, cleaning, and stressing. Rob and I can just stretch out and unwind for a few quiet hours. I find it’s easier to stay focused, healthy, and productive during the week if I know I have a special weekday movie night upcoming.