On the Eve of 23

It’s been awhile.  Okay, it’s been way too long, but in my defense, I haven’t been feeling well (off and on), annoyingly since Halloween and have been busy in between.  I have so much I want to talk about but I’m afraid I will have to pace myself and just start getting on the ball writing again.  I’d like to try and make at least one or two posts a week…ideally.

So I am turning 23 tomorrow.  23 sounds like a good age.  It sounds feminine to me.  Chocolate cupcakes with pink butter cream icing are the perfect culinary accompaniment to turning 23 I think.   It’s a step closer to 25, which I consider to be a pivotal age, so that’s promising!  22 was pretty damn good to me though I should say.  I’d like to post some of my favorite photos from this past year, but that can wait until next time.

Right now, I’m feeling the mood of “favorites,” and in lieu of my love of lists, I present you with this:

5 Favorite Smells:

1. Honeysuckle
2. Brand new tennis balls
3. The smell of freshly cut grass combined with summer air and grilling out
4. The smell of heat when you finally need to turn it on during the fall/winter
5. My boyfriend in the morning

5 Favorite Cities:

1. New York
2. London
3. San Diego
4. San Francisco
5. Dublin

5 Favorite Foods:

1. Moules frites (from Vin Rouge, in Durham, NC)
2. Meat Ragu & Rigatoni with some good wine and good crusty bread
3. Salmon
4. Risotto
5. Pan Au Chocolat (and most things chocolate for that matter)

5 Favorite Drinks:

1. Coffee
2. Tanqueray and Tonic with extra lime
3. Mojito
4. Absolut Citron Cosmopolitan (preferably from Vin Rouge)
5. Chocolate Milk

5 Favorite Restaurants (near where I live):

1. Vin Rouge
2. Hayes Barton Cafe & Dessertery
3. Lilly’s Pizza
4. Watt’s Grocery
5. Five Star

5 Places I Want to See (that I haven’t before):

1. Hawaii
2. South of France (specifically Bordeaux, Marseilles, Provence, etc.)
3. Portland, Oregon
4. Australia
5. Africa

5 Best Museums I’ve Been to:

1. The Louvre
2. The National Gallery, London
3. The National Gallery, Dublin
4. The MOMA
5. The Met

5 Favorite Bands:

1. The Avett Brothers
2. The Rolling Stones
3. Counting Crows
4. The Decemberists
5. My Morning Jacket

5 Favorite Musicians:

1. Ryan Adams
2. Frank Sinatra
3. (Tie between) Cat Power and Regina Spektor
4. Sam Cooke
5. Nick Drake

5 Favorite Actresses:

1. Cate Blanchett
2. Kate Winslet
3. Natalie Portman
4. (tie between) Laura Linney and Naomi Watts
5. Nicole Kidman

5 Favorite Old Hollywood Actors/Actresses:

1. Jimmy Stewart
2. Audrey Hepburn
3. James Dean
4. Grace Kelly
5. Bette Davis

5 Things I’m a Sucker For:

1. Winks
2. Piano
3. A good meal
4. Outdoor movies
5. Parks

5 More Things I’m a Sucker For ; )  :

1. Random acts of kindness (especially by strangers)
2. Vintage clothes
3. Used bookstores
4. Good humor
5. Witnessing happiness in others

5 Final Things I am Alas, a Sucker for:

1. Cupcakes
2. Tiffany’s blue
3. Unique, (non chain-distributed) greeting cards
4. Wine bottles (good wine bottle art) – I love collecting bottles
5. Magazines (oddly very influenced by covers,  I read: Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, Marie Claire, Self, and the occasional Blackbook, Elle, and Vogue)

5 Favorite Shows that are Off the Air:

1. Sex and the City
2. Gilmore Girls
3. Pushing Daisies
4. Dawson’s Creek
5. Six Feet Under

5 Things That Make Me Girly:

1. I like pale pink kitchen gadgets and appliances
2. I enjoy Hello Kitty
3. I can never seem to buy enough underwear or makeup
4. I absolutely love dresses, especially sundresses and I think crinoline/tulle are a lot of fun
5. I love just about every apron that Anthropologie makes

10 (yes 10) Favorite Feelings:

1. Being utterly and completely relaxed and comfortable in bed, when you’re absolutely exhausted, the first few moments you begin to drift off to sleep
2. The first bite of an incredible meal
3. Feeling loved, appreciated, safe and comfortable
4. Being pleasantly surprised
5. Having the exact same thought as somebody at the exact same time
6. Having someone wash/play with my hair
7. The way I feel after I’ve just cooked or baked something and it was a success
8. How my hair feels after a much needed haircut
9. Feeling accomplished and productive
10. Feeling inspired and creative

There we go, phew!  I’ve been meaning to devote an entry to lists.  Now, T minus 22 minutes ’til I’m not 22 anymore : )  Time for bed.

*Updated on December 13, 2009*

Andy Pettitte and Petit Fours

Good morning all,

First of all, go Yankees!  I am very proud of you.  I am also proud to admit that I watched all of your games in the World Series and had fun doing it (and this is from a girl who has always sworn off sports!)  Becoming a Yankees (and only Yankees) baseball fan is very new for me and I’ve learned a lot in the past month or so.  Admittedly, there are still some things that leave me confused about baseball but you know, I get the gist ; )  A couple of things I have learned…

-Baseball players have MAJOR oral fixations.  Gum, spitting, and sunflower seeds.  They like their spitting.  They could have contests in spitting.

-Baseball players (for the most part) are very attractive.  This makes enduring a game (when you are not particularly a sports fanatic anyway) all the more enjoyable.  Andy Pettitte gets an honorable mention here.

Dearest Andy:  Your smoldering dark stare as you prepare to pitch is what won me over.  That and your adorable chin dimple.  Keep up the handsome looks and the talented pitching.  You are a valuable asset to the Yankees and to my viewing pleasure.  ❤ Hayley

I write to you, having just ingested a lovely half of an english muffin, toasted in the oven with butter and cinnamon sugar.  With the cup of coffee I’ve just finished now dispersing its magical dose of caffeine through my veins, I am awake, alas!

I just entered myself in a fun little contest, held by Ruche:

http://www.shopruche.com/name-this-cardigan-to-win-it-p-1190.html

My name ideas for the cardigan are:

1. ribbons and petit fours cardigan
2. tea and cakes cardigan
3. stroll down the Champs-Elysées cardigan

The winner will be announced on November 17th – fingers crossed!

I haven’t been feeling too well lately and I’m trying to get to the bottom of it.  I have another doctor’s appointment this afternoon.  So while I have been somewhat incapacitated by this mysterious thing, I have been eager to get out and be my regular, energetic, do as much as you possibly can in one day kind of self and I have been thinking a lot about some things I want to accomplish in the near future.

• Learn the following songs on the piano:  “Lover’s Spit,” by Broken Social Scene, “Comptine d’un autre ete,” by Yann Tiersen, “Breathe Me,” by Sia, “Us,” by Regina Spektor, and “Midnight Train,” by Journey.
• Take a photography class.
• Cook and bake more (hopefully more and money will allow for this)
• Make bread for the first time.
• Learn how to edit film and/or songs.

Well I have the day off, so I’m after some important Internet perusing and a little Weeds watching.  Happy Friday folks.