Saturday, January 31

Late 19th c. - Uptown Bedroom in New Orleans



I LOVE OLD PICTURES!
Here's some coming up for sale where I work AND I'm just so fascinated by them.
Note: This group is a rare documentation of a late 19th c. New Orleans room interior incorporating a half tester bed and armoire attributable to Prudent Mallard (Sevres 1809-New Orleans 1879) The plinth drawer and feet of the armoire clearly relate to those on the armoire from Mallard for Francis Puig's home at 624 Royal Street, and the tester and post are very similar to those on a bed descended in a New Orleans family

Friday, January 30

The Bad Boy

So, I've developed a bit of a celebrity crush on
Tom Hardy.
You have to listen to him SPEAK ladies.
He has that uniquely deep raspy voice you don't hear that often and his lips draw the eye quite well.
He's also a 31 year old British actor that lives in London.

He recently played Heathcliff in the Masterpiece Classic Wuthering Heights.

I've been cyberstalking him lately, just to see what's up. I was impressed to find he has had many other cultured roles as well:
Sweeney Todd,
Marie Antoinette,and Oliver.
Overall, I was intrigued!
I've always liked a guy who can appreciate his classic literature and history while being in contemporary movies like RocknRolla and Black Hawk Down.
That is...until I found his home page.
This is him! Yes!
Though I have to give props for his attention to details in preparing for his next movie role. His use of language, choice of songs (which has kind of grown on me), and (worst of all!) pictures posted...have me in utter SHOCK!
You have to see the pictures, I can't stop laughing!
This whole new image has me thinking: now that he's appeared to resemble a "bad boy" at heart...do I find myself liking him more or less?

Wednesday, January 28

Too funny NOT to post...

Who is this guy?
Could you imagine if this was a fellow teacher?

Tuesday, January 27

Jazzercise

I started my 1st Jazzercise class tonight which I really meant to start two weeks ago. So, Jackie and I got determined to do the 6pm Tues/Thurs class and when I have free Saturdays, go at 930am one too.
3 days a week! Not too bad for the new me! We've had friends that have gone in the past at work, so we got ready with our weights, mat, and new exercise bras! Yayy! Each workout is a fusion of dance and muscle toning movements choreographed to today's hottest music! Over all, it was fun! Every class is one hour long and includes a gentle warm up, 30-minute aerobic workout, muscle toning and strengthening segment with weights, and a stretch finale. Our instructor is amazingly "GENKI" for all you Japanese friends out there, something I could never do after 30-40 mins. Feel the burn!!!

Birth Order Compatibility


I'm the youngest...
Count your lucky stars! As a lastborn, you’re creative, open-minded and interested in adventure. But above all, you’re attractive to men. They’re drawn to you no matter what you do, what you wear, what you say. More than other women, you have a natural power to draw attention to yourself, and it all comes from having grown up with an older brother. Throughout your childhood you had to deal with a bigger, older, stronger male, and as a result you learned to be charming, funny and empathetic. Men sense that they can talk with you about anything, and many will secretly fall in love with you without even telling you how they feel. Your best match, however, is an older brother of sisters. He’s got that romantic touch you find irresistible. Middle boys with younger sisters are also good matches. Older brothers of brothers might be a tad too tough for your taste. Lastborn guys can party with you better than any other men, but you may feel a lack of guidance and direction in a long-term relationship with them.
You have the same birth order as Marilyn Monroe.
Your best celebrity love match is Brad Pitt.

Saturday, January 24

A Few Thoughts About 27

27 (twenty-seven) is the natural number following 26 and preceding 28
Twenty-seven is a perfect cube, being 3³ = 3 × 3 × 3. 27
Number of books in the New Testament = 27
Number of cubes in a Rubik's cube = 27 (center cube is invisible)
The Sun rotates on its axis once in about 27 days
The 27th lucky number is 127
The planet Uranus has 27 moons
The code (+27) for international direct-dial phone calls to South Africa
Tennis court is 27 feet wide
The current number of Amendments to the United States Constitution = 27
Easter Island lies very close to the 27th parallel
Song by the Dave Matthews Band "#27"
Did you know? Many talented and famous rock/blues musicians died at age 27. These include Robert Johnson, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Brian Jones, Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain
God creates man "male & female" in the 27th verse in Genesis I
Atomic Number of Cobalt (Co) = 27
US auto sales in 2009 should fall about 13 percent and reach their lowest level in 27 years
Number of bones in the human hand= 27
Your favorite Blogger turns 27 today, and is reluctantly accepting it.

Friday, January 23

Birthday Flowers



Birthday Flowers from Mom & Dad!

Thursday, January 22

Big news, Sex addicts!

Us Weekly reports in its newest issue that Sarah Jessica Parker, 43, Kim Cattrall, 52, Cynthia Nixon, 42, and Kristin Davis, 43, have agreed to appear in the sequel to Sex and the City: The Movie.

Tuesday, January 20

OMG! I am SO getting this!

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies features the original text of Jane Austen's beloved novel with all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie action. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she's soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers—and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield as Elizabeth wages war against hordes of flesh-eating undead. Complete with 20 illustrations in the style of C. E. Brock (the original illustrator of Pride and Prejudice), this insanely funny expanded edition will introduce Jane Austen's classic novel to new legions of fans. Jane Austen is the author of Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Mansfield Park, and other masterpieces of English literature.
Seth Grahame-Smith is the author of How to Survive a Horror Movie and The Big Book of Porn. He lives in Los Angeles.

Monday, January 19

What Kind of Reader Are You?
Your Result: Dedicated Reader
You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.
Literate Good Citizen
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Book Snob
Fad Reader
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You?

Sunday, January 18

MARDI GRAS PARADE SCHEDULES

TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2009
Phunny Phorty Phellows - Streetcar, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2009
• Brid - Lakeview, 6:00 p.m.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2009
• Krewe of Slidellians - Slidell, 1:00 p.m.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2009

Krewe du Vieux - French Quarter, 6 30 p.m.
• Krewe of Bilge - Oak Harbor Marina, Slidell, Noon
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2009
Orleans / Jefferson
Little Rascals - Metairie, noon
St. Tammany
Mystic Krewe of Perseus - Slidell, 1 p.m.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2009

Orleans / Jefferson
Krewe of Cork - French Quarter, 3 p.m.
Oshun - Uptown, 6 p.m.
Cleopatra - West Bank, 6:30 p.m.
Pygmalion - Uptown, 6:45 p.m.
Excalibur - Metairie, 7 p.m.
Atlas - Metairie, 7:30 p.m.
St. Tammany
Dionysus - Slidell, 1:30 p.m.
Mona Lisa and Moon Pie - Slidell, 7 p.m.
Eve - Mandeville, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2009
Orleans / Jefferson
Choctaw - West Bank, 11:30 a.m.
Adonis - West Bank, noon
Pontchartrain - Uptown, 2 p.m.
Caesar - Metairie, 6 p.m.
Sparta - Uptown, 6 p.m.
Pegasus - Uptown, 6:45 p.m.
St. Tammany
Olympia - Covington, 6 p.m.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2009
Orleans / Jefferson
Alla - West Bank, Noon
Carrollton - Uptown, Noon
King Arthur - Uptown, 1:15 p.m.
Barkus - French Quarter, 2 p.m.
Rhea - Metairie, 1:00 p.m.
Centurions - Metairie, 5:30 p.m.
St. Bernard
Nemesis - Chalmette 2 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2009
Druids - Uptown, 6:30 p.m.
Thor - Metairie, 7:00 p.m.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2009
Babylon - Uptown, 5:45 p.m.
Muses - Uptown, 6:15 p.m.
Chaos - Uptown, 6:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2009
Orleans / Jefferson
Hermes - Uptown, 6 p.m.
d'Etat - Uptown, 6 p.m.
Morpheus - Uptown, 7 p.m.
St. Tammany
Selene - Slidell, 6:30 p.m.
Orpheus - Mandeville, 7 p.m.
St. Bernard
Aphrodite - Chalemette, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2009

Orleans / Jefferson
NOMTOC - West Bank, 10:45 a.m.
Iris - Uptown, 11 a.m.
Tucks - Uptown, 12:15 p.m.
Endymion - Mid-City, 4:15 p.m.
Isis - Metairie, 6:30 p.m.
River Parishes
Lul - Luling, Noon
Towahpasah - Reserve, 1 p.m.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2009

Orleans / Jefferson
Okeanos - Uptown, 11 a.m.
Mid-City - Uptown, 11:45 a.m.
Thoth - Uptown, Noon a.m.
Bacchus - Uptown, 5:15 p.m.
Napoleon - Metairie, 5:30 p.m.
St. Tammany
Tchefuncte - Madisonville, 2 p.m.
River Parishes
Du Monde - LaPlace, Noon
Des Allemands - Des Allemands, 2 p.m.
LUNDI GRAS,
FEBRUARY 23, 2009
Proteus - Uptown, 5:15 p.m.
Orpheus - Uptown, 6 p.m.
Zeus - Metairie, 6:30 p.m.
MARDI GRAS,
FEBRUARY 24, 2009

Orleans / Jefferson
Zulu - Uptown, 8 a.m.
Rex - Uptown, 10 a.m.
Elks Orleans - after Rex
Crescent City - after Elks
Argus - Metairie, 10 a.m.
Jefferson Trucks - after Argus
Elks Jefferson - after Jefferson
Grela - West Bank, 11 a.m.St. Tammany
Lions - Covington, 10 a.m.
Covington - after Lions
Yayy for all the Uptown locations where I live. This will be fun!

Saturday, January 17

Oak Alley Plantation


Sometime in the early 1700's, probably a few years before the 1718 founding of New Orleans as the colonial seat of government, a settler claimed land from an original royal grant for his dwelling and defined its entrance with an alley of live oaks in two rows leading to the river. Although there is no documentation as to how successful this gentlemen was in his efforts to adapt in the New World, it is clear that his live oaks had no such problem. Native to the area, they thrived!
The design of the mansion combined several styles, the most notable being the 28 classic columns surrounding the house. The veranda extends approximately 13 feet from the walls, keeping the home in shade most of the day.
Filmed at Oak Alley:
Nightrider
Dixie: Changing Habits
The Long Hot Summer
Primary Colors
Oak Alley Restaurant is housed in a 19th century cottage located on the grounds of the plantation, not far from the antebellum mansion. Oak Alley Restaurant serves a wonderful selection of traditional Cajun and Creole dishes as well as Oak Alley's Famous Mint Julep. Natasha had the mighty-strong Mint Julep while I opted for the more-likely-to-drive-after Lemon Julep.While the restaurant boasts to includes delicious, traditional Louisiana-style dishes, such as red beans & rice, jambalaya, shrimp Creole, chicken fricassee, fried alligator nuggets, crawfish etouffee and gumbo, as well as po-boys (Louisiana's version of a submarine sandwich), fresh salads and a wonderful selection of homemade desserts like bread pudding with whiskey sauce, pecan pie and buttermilk pie. We got the regular old lunch special: Ham slowly cooked in Whiskey, baked southern beans and garlic mashed potatoes and OMG, was it yummy!!! Next time you're in the area, visit the "Grande Dame of the Great River Road".

Early-Bird

Today I did my taxes. Four months early, because I know I intentionally set aside too much and will get a nice chunk of a refund. Otherwise, I might honestly forget or push them way down the priority list for the next couple of months. So...at least my Federal taxes are done and out of the way.
Yayy!
BUT - Louisiana is one of those states that ALSO has Income Tax which Texas does not. So, let alone having to officially do my own federal taxes for the very first time (since being in Japan and filling taxes out of the country doesn't really count), I have to learn the whole state Income Tax route too. Ugh!

Friday, January 16

If you love cold weather...

...then this was your week.

Highs won't top 45 today (Friday).
Lows at night will dip to near 30.
Though temperatures should be above freezing by 8:30 a.m. (Saturday),
strong winds should keep wind chills to stay in the 20s through
mid-morning. BRRRRRRR!!!

Tuesday, January 13

Lost in Austen


Ever wonder...
"What if Mr. Darcy REALLY existed?"
"What if Jane married Mr. Collins?"
"What if Elizabeth was never around?"
"What if Mr. Wickham was a nice guy?"
If any of those questions got you curious, I definitely would recommend Lost in Austen. It's a four-part 2008 British television series, loosely based on Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Yet, it's set kind of in a alternate reality where the characters are the same, but not the story. ‘Lost in Austen’ is the tale of a modern woman entering a time and place she dreams about, encountering customs and social mores that are familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. We assume that with our advanced technology and knowledge of history, people from our age who travel back in time would be in a superior position. As Jemima Rooper (Amanda Price) so charmingly demonstrates, that is not necessarily the case. One must suspend all disbelief and accept the film’s fun and frolicky intent in order to enjoy it. I would not try to make historical sense of the story, for some of the details are outlandishly wrong, and I would not try to make the time travel details logical. After all, how scientific could the premise of this story be? – A fictional character from a novel steps out of a doorway into a shower stall in a 21st Century London flat and communicates with a real person. Right there, any attempt to apply the laws of physics would make absolutely no sense. As a viewer starved for all things British, I’ll take a romp through the English countryside anytime, and watch ballroom scenes, handsome gents in tight breeches, lovely ladies in Regency gowns, and a time travel plot – even a tepid one - for a couple of hours of entertainment. I found the film refreshingly entertaining and Jemima Hooper a delight to watch. I even laughed out loud on occasion. The movie is what it is: entertainment for audiences who are interested in time travel and Austenesque period pieces.

Monday, January 12

N.O. Kicks Off Mardi Gras Season

Nagin Hosts Annual King Cake Party

The city of New Orleans officially kicked off the Carnival season Tuesday at Gallier Hall, as Mayor Ray Nagin hosted his annual king cake party. City and krewe leaders celebrated 153 years of Mardi Gras in dance, music and, of course, king cake. Tuesday was Twelfth Night, which marks the day the Three Kings met the infant Jesus. The day kicks off seven weeks of festivities.
The krewe of Rex and Zulu also unveiled this year's posters. Zulu is celebrating 100 years, and the Krewe of Rex commemorates the 50th anniversary of the doubloon. "The celebration people see isn't always pretty. We want people to know that this is a family-friendly, very wholesome, very exciting celebration this city puts on," said Stephen Hales with the Krewe of Rex. "There's nothing like it in the country, and I don't think anywhere in the world."
Mardi Gras is Feb. 24.

King Cake

You can only purchase original King Cakes in the United States, which celebrates Carnival ranging from Mobile, Alabama to East Texas, centered on New Orleans since it is associated with Mardi Gras season traditions. Any other time of the year, you can only purchase Queen Cakes.The cakes have a small trinket (often a small plastic baby, sometimes said to represent Baby Jesus) inside, and the person who gets the piece of cake with the trinket has various privileges and obligations. What they are exactly? I'm not too sure, I haven't gotten the baby at work...yet!

The "king cake" takes its name from the Biblical three kings. Catholic tradition states that their journey to Bethlehem took twelve days (the Twelve Days of Christmas), and that they arrived to honor the Christ child on Epiphany. The season for king cake extends from the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas (Twelfth Night and Epiphany Day), through to Mardi Gras day. Some organizations or groups of friends may have "king cake parties" every week through the Carnival season.

Yup, I feel like we have a King Cake party each day at work! From December 6th, the beginning of the Mardi Gras Festival Season here in New Orleans, we've had at least SIX king cakes so far PLUS TWO galette cakes and many pastries with even more king crowns. I'm quite enjoying this NOLA culture!!!

In southern U.S.A., the tradition was brought to the area by colonists from France and Spain. King cake parties in New Orleans are documented back to the eighteenth century. The king cake of the New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition comes in a number of styles. The most simple, said to be the most traditional, is a ring of twisted bread similar to that used in brioche, also similar to the American cinnamon roll, topped with icing or sugar, usually coloured purple, green, and gold (the traditional Carnival colors) with food colouring. Some varieties have filling inside, the most common being cream cheese followed by praline. Popular bakeries such as Gambino's, Haydel, and Randazzo, feature original recipes and types of king cakes. So, go out and try your luck at getting that baby!