The Venn Diagram Explains It All Again

Merry Happy!

Whoa!

This is quite possibly the most insightful comment this blog has ever received. It's from (who else) Anonymous.

"Dear Author zenmommasgarden.blogspot.com ! I am sorry, it does not approach me. Perhaps there are still variants? "

Perhaps there are, Anonymous. Perhaps there are.

Friday Fill-Ins

1. No, we will NOT be exerting more control over our kids. But thanks for your concern.

2. Not much table can be seen at the old kitchen table.

3. I watched the steam rising from the hot cup of coffee and thought: It's a good thing I own a coffee shop or this would be one expensive habit I've got going on here.

4. I may or may not steal a couple of girlfriends and fly to London to see James in concert next April, but either way it's going to be okay.

5. I'll take anyone who wants to come with me to London. Are you interested?

6. Life is good, at least from my point of view.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going to Cloud 9 for dinner and some music, tomorrow my plans include Diana's Solstice Spiral and Sunday, I want to continue NOT stressing over the holidays!

Get your own Friday Fill-Ins here!

Tales From the Cafe

SSU Holiday Blowout '09

We partied the night away.

We even had our very own surprise guest ROCK stars,

Kinda Delicious!
(they are)

(Accompanied by Miss Diana on Mama's Got a Squeezebox)

They rocked the house.

They had us singing.

They had us dancing.

A good time was had by all.

Me too!

C'mon admit it. Don't you wish you worked here?*

*Okay except maybe for the part where that video of you dancing somehow makes it to the interwebs.

How did that get there?

It's a Holiday Giveaway!

Just thought I'd let you all know that I'm doing a giveaway from my Etsy shop over at The Women's Colony. Up for grabs are these cute little earrings which are also available in green or purple. If you win, you get to pick your color. The contest ends Thursday, December 17 at 6pm CST. On Friday, the 18th, The Women's Colony will update this post with the name of the winner. Be sure to check back.

Good luck!

Best of 2009 - Blog find of the Year

December 7: That gem of a blog you can't believe you didn't know about until this year.

Forget anything socially relevant or morally uplifting. I'm going with TFLN, Texts From Last Night.

"A gem of a blog?" Not so much. But really funny in all the worst "our civilization is surely coming to a bad end" kind of ways.

Remember kids, only you can prevent drunk texting.

Best of 2009 - Workshop or Conference

December 6: Was there a conference or workshop you attended that was especially beneficial? Where was it? What did you learn?

Hmmm.. my favorite conference? How about I give you three guesses and the first two don't count.


And next year? It's going to be even better! You WILL want to be there. Because you know what I learned? I throw one heck of a good party conference.

Best of 2009 - Restaurant Moment, December 2

December 2: Share the best restaurant experience you had this year. Who was there? What made it amazing? What taste stands out in your mind?

Sorry to be repetitive, but I'm going back to Paris for this one too. My very best food memory is of Gusto Italia. We found this adorable tiny little Mom & Pop Italian restaurant just around the corner from our hotel. We loved it so much that we ate there on several occasions.


The owner is a character, and there is a wonderful neighborhood feel to the place. We were first enticed in by an oh-so-charming Italian young man. He was the maître d’, waiter, busboy, prep cook and as it turns out, street-side patron wrangler. And wrangle us he did with his charming Italian accent and charming Italian ways. He charmed us right inside for dinner.

It was a beautiful night of food and drink and conversation and silliness and laughter. Oh and did I mention the food? It. Was. Amazing.


Gusto has the best pizza in Paris. (Yes, we went to France to eat pizza. Get over it.) We had an antipasti plate to die for and the freshest ricotta cheese that I have ever tasted. I swear they had the cow in the back giving the milk to be made into that cheese. Mmmmmm...

Gusto Italia was a sweet little find and a wonderful memory.

And now, of course, I'm hungry.

Best of 2009 - Trip, Pretend I wrote this on December 1

As usual, I'm a little late to the party. I never do seem to get to these things in a timely fashion. This time it's the Best of 2009 party that seems to have left me in the dust. Ah well, better late than never, right? And there's always the idea that I'm being fashionably late. I mean really, dahling, who wants to read the December 1st post precisely on December 1st anyway?


Sooooo...I doubt I'll get to them all, but some of these prompts sound fun to explore. So I'll just pick and choose my way through the list and catch up eventually. Care to join me?


December 1: What was your best trip in 2009?


Well this one's easy, of course. Ahhhhhh.....Paris. Our first vacation together alone in 20 years and totally worth the wait.

We indulged our senses in all the best ways.

We renewed our Selves individually and together. Plus I learned something very important.

Let Jon take the self-portrait pics if I want to be in them.

Remember

Sometimes a banana holder is just a banana holder.

Snippet...probably NSFW*...

...of an Instant Message conversation between my friend and I about what may or may not happen if I steal his wife away for a completely irresponsible but SO FUN James concert week in London.

Me: Jon wants to know where you two can have the "Hookers and Blow Party" while we're gone.

Him: ANOTHER one?

Me: Like you can have too many?

Him: I do have a strong preference for Midwestern hookers and Bolivian blow - lemme Google it and see what I can come up with.

Him: "And the day I posted that on FB was the day that my dream of a political career came to a screeching halt . . . . "

Indeed, my friend. Indeed

*NSFW: Not Safe For Work Wives

Best Holiday Lights Display Ever