Daily Goods: Retail Therapy

Project Good Life is not a "shopping" blog per se, but we occasionally post various things that we have found through our retail therapy for the perusal of Good Life followers.  Here are a few favorites from the first weeks of 2012.

• The Husband purchased me a Kuering coffee brewer and I love it.  Why? I can pick various flavors of coffee or tea and brew one perfect cup, without having to brew an entire pot.  The clean up is easy (simply throw away a cartridge or "k-cup") and the brews delicious.  This is perfect for our guests because it allows them to make whatever types of coffee (decaf, caf, light, dark) or tea (herbal, black, iced) that they desire without having to commit the rest of the group to their choice.  Don't want to buy a pack of k-cups or love your speciality coffee grinds?  Have no fear, there is now a refillable k-cup filter that allows you to place whatever flavor you want into your Kuering brewer. 
• While I am on the topic of warm things, I thought I would make sure that all Good Life followers in the DC area know about, The SouperGirl, which has been making vegan healthy soups for DC residents for years.  I have enjoyed subscribing to the SouperGirl list serve (she will deliver your soup to you every week at your office) and was very pleased to learn that SouperGirl is now selling her lovely soups at the Dupont Circle Sunday Farmers' Market.  Think Global and Buy Local -- Check out the SouperGirl.
• Project Good Life is a little late to the Apple TV party, but we are loving it all the same.  Yes, we recently purchased an Apple TV and are now able to watch Netflix and other things from our I-Pad and I-Phones on our large screen home television.  Apple TV is not terribly expensive ($99) and can replace the need for expensive cable channels. 
• Finally, I am staying organized this year with PocketTheDate, a nifty calendar/organizer that I purchased for my mom and me just before the holidays. PocketTheDate is a spiral organizer with pockets for each month (and a monthly calendar) that makes it easy to keep up with event invitations and coupons that will expire by placing them in pockets for each month.  I've loved using this organizer to go through my mail -- and that it has helped me contain the mail clutter we get has also made the Husband very happy.

For the Sake of Old Times and Roses

Scottish Poet Robert Burnes was born on January 25th in 1759.  Today marks his birthday.  Burnes was born to a poor farmer and had little formal education.  There is a poetry to such humble beginnings.  I probably do not recall when I first fell for Burnes' verses -- as a young child in a select choir, I was tasked by my choral director to learn the harmony part to a musical rendition of his verse My Luv is Like a Red, Red Rose.  At the time, I did not know that Burnes was the author of this verse nor did I care particularly for the verse, but, over the years, the verse has stuck with me and I have grown to love it. 

I later learned to appreciate more of Burnes verses, most especially his poem Auld Lang Syne, which the Husband and I enjoy signing not only at New Years but throughout the year.  There is something about Auld Lang Syne, which translates into "days gone by" or "for the sake of old times" that strikes at the goodness in life.  One can almost hear the people in bars in Scotland signing the happy song and welcoming in the new year.  (As a side note, the Husband and I really enjoy Susan Boyle's rendition of the song, which is more somber in tone but very reflective).  Burnes apparently first "composed" this verse when writing a letter -- he merely noted that it was an "old Scottish song" and passed it off as if it had been passed down trough the Scots through the ages. 

There is a simplicity to Burnes's poetry that I have grown to appreciate -- he, like the best poets, writes about the basic things: roses, love, the ploughman, spring.  I encourage all Good Life followers to take a few moments to read some Burnes today -- I will be remembering as a child unknowingly putting his verse to music while wearning a red choral dress only to later dance in my red wedding reception dress  (on New Years Eve) to his Auld Lang Syne.  Goodspeed, Burnes. Here's to old times.

Adieu, dear, amiable youth!
Your heart can ne'er be wanting!
May prudence, fortitude, and truth,
Erect your brow undaunting!
In ploughman phrase, ``God send you speed,''
Still daily to grow wiser;
And may ye better reck the rede,
Than ever did th' adviser!

Another Attempt at New Years

As I blogged about recently, December and early January were a strike out for me and but for an excellent trip with the Husband to Budapest and seeing family, I might have just wanted to take it off the books completely.  So, I welcomed the Chinese New Year over the weekend and found this second attempt at New Years to be as good as time as any to declare my goals for the coming year and reflect on my past year and my wishes for the next.  I wish I could say that my resolutions were unique, but instead they are typical: Be More Organized, Savor the Small Stuff, Take on Less Projects and Do The Ones I Take On Better, Stick to a Budget, Read for Pleasure, Eat Less, Move More, Cook More, Send Notes to Friends and Family -- these are just a few and, yes, they are repeats of resolutions from years past.  Unlike many cynics, however, I do not think that New Years Resolutions are pointless or destined to be broken.  Of course, we could all do better -- as evidenced by the fact that many of us make the same resolutions year after year -- but the point is for us to better ourselves year after year, even if we never completely achieve the goals that we aspire to.  That we will never reach a perfectionist's standard does not mean we should give up on the enterprise completely.  And, so, 23 days later, I am making my New Years resolutions and strategizing about how to best keep them.  It took me a few weeks to catch up, but I, too, am excited about the upcoming days, weeks, and months and am relishing the new challenges before me.  Here's to a New Day, a New Year, and what the Good Life has in store for us next.

Goodness and Mercy 1/22/2012

Each week, Project Good Life posts an image of the Good Life.  This week's image, which I found while reading about Chinese New Year, reminds us that time is relative and new beginnings can come on whatever day one chooses.  Happy Chinese New Year.  Welcome Year of the Dragon.

Brit Flicks

Each year, the Husband and I try to see any film that is likely to be in the running for an academy award, which means that we spend the first few months of each new year seeing movies.  Viewing films in DC is a particularly social experience because that the town has only two major theaters (not counting the few independent gems that we also enjoy) that all of its dwellers cram into on the weekends.  Given my propensity to be fashionably late to everything -- including movies -- we have taken to ordering tickets on Fandango.com.  Even then, however, we are generally some of the last people in the theatre, which means that we usually settle for non-ideal seats.  This weekend was no exception -- but you wouldn't have known it because both movies that we saw were so enjoyable we quickly forgot that we were even sitting in undesirable seats.  We saw Iron Lady and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy -- both set in Britain and both paying homage to the Cold War.

Iron Lady is a tribute to Margaret Thatcher (played by Meryl Streep).  The film depicts an aging Thatcher struggling with dementia and flashes back to her rise to power and time as Prime Minister of Britain.  Some have criticized the film as dedicating too much time to present-day Thatcher and not featuring enough of her time as Prime Minister.  Others have found the film (which is less than 2 hours long) slow-moving at times.  I enjoyed the film and recommend it it Good Life Followers, but did wish that it had dedicated more time to  Thatcher in her years as Prime Minister.  I highly recommend seeing Iron Lady if for no other reason to see the truly phenomenal Streep play legendary Thatcher.  Streep is amazing in the role, which required depicting Thatcher over several decades.  I would not be surprised if Streep brings home another Oscar for her performance.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is perhaps the best film -- in terms of its story line and plot -- that I have seen all year.   It was suspenseful, complex, and novel all at the same time.  Based on a 1974 spy novel by John le Carré, the film is a cold war thriller that follows one man's attempt to unveil a mole amidst British intelligence officers.  This is not a film for those who only half watch movies; it requires constant attention.  But, the pay off is well worth it.  The Husband and I particularly enjoyed that part of the film was set in Budapest (where we spent New Years Eve) and also enjoyed the scenes set in Istanbul and London.  The film was so intriguing that I started researching it when I got home from the movie-- leading me to find this helpful summary of the way in which the film mimics actual history.  You won't be disappointed if you see Tinker, Tailor -- It is a favorite.

Good Food: Holy Honey Bells!

Honey Bells (Photo from Palm Beach Groves)

Thanks to our Dupont Neighbors (one of which hails from Palm Beach and is an expert in all things sunny), I discovered Honey Bell Oranges last January.  It is time to order them again and the window of opportunity is very short (January only), so I thought I would post this for all Good Life followers.  Honey Bell Oranges are the sweetest oranges that you'll ever eat.  They are hybrids of grapefruit and tangerines and are very difficult to grow.  The folks at the Orange Shop in Florida harvest Honey Bells around this time every year.  They are difficult to grow, which makes them rare.  They are easy to peel and are seedless. 
I am placing an order for me and the Husband today -- and I encourage you all to as well. Trust me, you will be hooked.  Here is a link to the Order Form at the Orange Shop.

http://www.floridaorangeshop.com/Boxes-of-All-Honeybells_p_154.html

Escape to Graceful Times: Why We Love Downton Abbey

I know and appreciate that Downton Abbey is old news, but, over the holidays, I had occasion to see what the hype was about -- and could not resist writing about it for Good Life followers. 

I was skeptical when the Husband urged me to start watching Downton Abbey.  I was never a fan of Masterpiece and as one who disdains East Coast snobbery on our own side of the pond, the notion of watching a television drama about the landed gentry in Great Britain had little appeal to me.  But, as with most things in my marriage, I found it easier to give in and agree to watch an episode than listen for days about how I was stubborn for not doing so.  So, I poured a glass of sparkling wine and started watching -- and, like the rest of America, I am hooked. 

For those Project Good Life Readers who have not seen Downton Abbey, the first season of the show is set in pre-World War I England and chronicles life of an aristocratic family (with the unfortunate luck of having all female children) and an unsuspecting male heir apparent to their fortune, Matthew Crawley.  The male heir that was to marry the eldest daughter and inherit the fortune died in the Titanic, of course, setting the stage for the new heir (a distant cousin who was not raised in the aristocracy and was, instead, merely a solicitor) to enter the scene.  Downton Abbey also chronicles the stories of the “downstairs world” of the servants at Downton and in so doing educates a naïve American audience about positions such as a footman, a valet, and a ladies' maid.  The second season, which is currently airing in the U.S. (and has already aired across the pond), is set during World War I and highlights the social and political changes of that time.  Downton Abbey is a soap opera, a history lesson, and good television drama wrapped into one.  It is enticing, interesting, and draws you in.  The Husband and I watched all of the first season on Netflix in a matter of days and are counting down until the next episode in Season Two airs next week.

Bloggers and pop culture writers have many theories for why Downton has captured the imagination of the American public.  The Hairpin has discussed why the show interests those interested in women’s history.  The most recent, and interesting, explanation that I have seen was Slate’s contention that the Downton has engendered nostalgia for a class structure Americans never had.  According to Slate, although Americans don’t wholly approve of it, they are somehow entranced by the clarity and inescapable roles that the characters on Downton occupy.  That is, the characters on Downton are free from the climb-the-ladder anxiety that accompanies the virtue of social mobility in the U.S.  Instead, their place in society is set -- and, although Americans prefer their mobile freedom of occupation to outdated remnants of feudalism, “the inescapability and clarity” of their roles, especially in modern times when everything is in flux, “is so seductive.”

I, too, am attracted to Downton for the backdrop against which it is set, as opposed to its plot.  For me, however, the attraction of Downton is that the show’s depiction of impeccable manners and social grace -- of a time when people used cups and saucers, wrote actual letters, appreciated a good table setting, and conducted themselves with the upmost self-respect and pride.  And, no, I’m not just talking about the upstairs world of the landed gentry in Downton -- that would be too obvious -- It is that everyone -- including the servants eating and socializing in their downstairs living quarters -- exhibit far more social grace than many in today’s world.  Even the stark insults handed down by the Dowager-Countess of Grantham are packaged in a polite and gentle way (which makes them far more creative than common insults in our era).  You would never hear the Countess say something as crude as “d-bag” or “tool,” but with a look of her eyes and a simple few words you know where you stand with her all the same.  The current age could learn a few things from the grace of Downton.  We may be beyond the years of landed gentry, ladies’ maids, or footmen, but nothing is stopping us from writing a proper note or getting out the good china, ironing a linen napkin, and enjoying a cup of tea.

Back in the Saddle

It has been some time since the Good Life has been updated.  No, I did not forget Good Life followers.  Dear Readers, the last month was difficult, cluttered, over-scheduled, too busy -- even for the one who defends the hassle of life.  There are times when even a superwoman reaches her breaking point and the last month was that time for me.  Dealing with a pile (read: mound) of work, self-absorbed people (who came out of the woodwork in droves last month), traveling (including lost bags, flight delays and the general unpleasantness that has become air travel in the last few years), several personal setbacks, and the hustle and bustle of the holidays made for some highly stressful and unpleasant weeks.  But, alas, it is a new day and, yes, the Good Life is still here it was just hiding under a rock for a bit. 



Over the last month, Project Good Life did learn some wonderful things many of which I will share with Good Life readers over the next few posts -- But here are a few: I learned that Central/Eastern Europe is truly fascinating.  I made my first trek to that region by visiting Budapest, Hungary for the New Year and had a truly wonderful time.  I recommend Budapest (and its wine) to all Good Life readers and will post some recommendations soon.  I learned that the Platinum American Express Card is worth the annual fee (and that you actually can "make back" the annual fee in a matter of months).  Again, the topic is too voluminous for this post -- but suffice it to say that the Husband and I had several massive travel woes that only American Express solved and I am now officially an American Express evangelist.  I started watching Downton Abbey (which is one of the best shows I have seen since Sportsnight was cancelled), learned that i-Pants are better than Spanx (thanks to my friends at the Mothership), and mastered the art of making veggie succotash. I also learned the joys of a Keuring coffee maker (thanks to the Husband who surprised me with one), but I digress. 



Budapest, Hungary



Most importantly, I learned that life is too short and our days are too precious to let the bad stuff get the best of us.  We have to pick up and move on.  We have to rid our lives and ourselves of things that take energy without giving anything back.  At Project Good Life we are dedicated to finding the Good Life and encouraging others to do the same.  This does not mean that from time to time we do not get wrapped up in life's inconveniences and unpleasantness, but it means that when we do, we quickly saddle up, smile, and ride on.  That is what I am going to do in 2012, even if I am nearly a month late at declaring my resolution.