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Dec
07
My Favorite Things: Holiday Edition
2011 at 5am Posted by Rebecca Schinsky
I should let you know from the outset that this isn’t going to end with me going “You get a car! And YOU get a car! And yoooooouuuuu get a caaaaar!” But you didn’t really expect that, did you? In the grand tradition of Her Royal Oprahness, I give you a few of my very favorite things of 2011.
Deva Curl –Y’all know I’m not the kind of woman who says that hair products changed her life–and I’ll be the first to admit that Deva’s statement that “Curly hair is not a trend, it’s a lifestyle!” is a little culty–but switching to these products was akin to a religious conversion for me.
After more than a decade of fighting frizz, humidity, and split ends (I didn’t make peace with my curly hair and give up trying to straighten it until I was 18), I gave into my stylist’s pleadings and let her turn me into a bona fide Curly Girl. And let me tell you, it was incredible. I gave up sulfate-filled shampoos, towel-drying, and hot water rinses, bought myself a handful of microfiber towels and some funky clips, and became a new woman practically overnight.
I haven’t uttered the words “bad hair day” in almost six months, and I routinely ask my husband to stop so we can have a moment to recognize how great my hair looks. Sure, it freaks out the mailman when I come to the door with my Deva clips in (you use clips to elevate sections of your roots so curls dry with volume), but it’s totally worth it. And he’s seen me looking worse, besides. If you have curly hair and haven’t found a solution you love yet, give Deva Curl a shot. And try to forget that it sounds like “diva.” I know. I hate it, too.
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Broadbent Vinho Verde — I’ll be the first to tell you that I don’t know much about wine. But I’m learning. I know what I like, and when it comes to white wines, I think the drier, the better. I popped into my favorite local wine shop River City Cellars one scorching day this summer to ask for a recommendation, and I walked out with what would become my go-to.
If you’ve never tried it before, vinho verdes are from Portugal. They’re dry as a bone and have just a hint of bubble, and they’ve basically the best thing ever. I can’t begin to try to figure out how many bottles of this I bought over the summer, and since the warm weather is hanging on here in Richmond, I’m still drinking it.
I’ve tried several other Broadbent wines, and they’re all delicious and super affordable, which makes it all the more tempting to buy them by the case. (Totally my plan for next summer.)
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Out of Print Clothing — There HAD to be something bookish on this list, right? At present, I have two Out of Print tees (the one pictured at left and one for To Kill a Mockingbird that doesn’t seem to be available anymore, so I actually have out-of-print Out of Print tee), and I love them. Mainly because they’re ridiculously soft and comfy. If I didn’t think it would result in my getting submitted to What Not to Wear, I’d buy enough to have one to lounge around in each day of the week.
In addition to the comfort factor, wearing these out in public is always a fun experiment. The best thing that’s happened so far was when I was out grocery shopping and a couple walked by (both guys), and I saw one of them look at the shirt (for what would have been a little too long if he hadn’t been holding hands with another man at the time) and whisper, “I think I’m in love.” Yep. All the shirt.
What did you discover this year that you can’t live without?
Thankful.
2011 at 6am Posted by Rebecca Schinsky
I hope you’re spending the day in a warm, happy place surrounded by people you love…or at least those you tolerate because biology says you’re required to. When I’ve inhaled enough side dishes (Thanksgiving is all about the side dishes for me) and pie to make me incapable of staying upright, I’ll be crashing on the couch with a book and thinking about the things I love in my life. This year, I’m thankful for:
- A happy, healthy family, one that grew this year with the birth of my (beautiful, perfect, certainly brilliant) nephew
- Finally feeling truly at home in Richmond, knowing that I have found “my people”
- Vibrant literary communities, online and off
- Opportunities–however unpleasant at the time–to discover who my true friends are…and even better opportunities to celebrate them
- The unique and inviolable pleasure of entire days spent reading without interruption
- Exciting, challenging work opportunities and the flexibility to take a leap and go for them
- Friends who get it and are happy to spend hours together in silence
- Creative collaborations that inspire, restore, and entertain
- A fun and supportive partner who endures endless elbowing and “Hey, did you know?” when I’m reading nonfiction
- The embarrassment of riches known as my TRB pile
Happy Back to School Day!
2011 at 5am Posted by Rebecca Schinsky
Whether you’re going back to school or celebrating your children’s departure from the house after three months of family togetherness, you deserve a song. And while Billy Madison would have been the obvious choice (at least for those of us who are of a certain age), this little bit from Grease 2—yes, there was a Grease 2, and yes, that is Michele Pfeiffer—is too cheesalicious to pass up.
The Sunday Salon 8.28.11—Goodnight, Irene!
2011 at 1pm Posted by Rebecca Schinsky
An earthquake and a hurricane later, we are still here! What a week it’s been!
I spent Friday afternoon in Chapel Hill, NC visiting my friends at Algonquin Books before heading over to Raleigh for my little sister’s baby shower. Despite the weather warnings, Raleigh didn’t get hit very hard, so we had just a little rain and some wind, and plenty people turned up to help us celebrate and eat the six dozen cupcakes my sister’s mother-in-law made to feed 30 people. That might sound crazy, but when you’re talking about a variety of cupcakes, including chocolate with Nutella filling, it’s not too difficult to convince folks to chow down.
Because the weather wasn’t too bad in Raleigh, I left around 4pm to drive back home to Richmond so I could be home with the husband today to celebrate the 10th anniversary of our first date—the anniversary we always celebrated before we had a wedding anniversary. Turns out that Irene hit Virginia much harder than she hit North Carolina, so the drive probably wasn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done, but I made it home safely to discover that despite the fact that we had trees down, the power was still kicking.
Tree down in front yard, tree down in back yard:
The power went out at 7:30 last night, so we ran to the drug store to stock up on candles, grabbed dinner at the neighborhood dive—an awesome place that was the only restaurant open in a 10-mile radius—and headed home to read by candlelight until bedtime. It was fun and rustic, and I have to admit that I love a big storm as long as I’m not in danger. Power came back on around 2am, though most of Richmond is still without. Sometimes it pays to live down the block from two fire stations that are first in line for having power restored!
I woke up this morning to the sound of chainsaws and went out in the back yard to be greeted by the husband, hard at work.
Bob w/ chainsaw, shortly before it died.
Yup, you read that correctly. The chainsaw died. Halfway through cutting up the first tree. Do you know how hard it is to find a Lowe’s/Home Depot/hardware store with chainsaws in stock in the aftermath of a hurricane? Yeah. Not fun.
But we prevailed! The husband is outside entering into round 2 of man vs. chainsaw, and I’m hunkered down inside trying to stay out of the way. I think a hurricane calls for a break from work, so I’m putting aside review books for the day in favor of finally starting The Magician King. Our friends without power are on the way over for a breakfast-for-dinner/cook-all-the-food-that-will-otherwise-spoil party and sleepover, and we’re ready to enjoy some quality time being thankful that the damage wasn’t worse.
Hope you’re all safe and sound—and surrounded with good reading material—as well.
