Culture Archives - Page 8 of 12

You say “car-ml,” I say “carra-mel”

June 7, 2013

I knew my Ohio-born husband spoke funny, and now I have proof.

Joshua Katz, a Ph. D student in statistics at North Carolina State University, just published a group of awesome visualizations of a linguistic survey, and JB and I had quite a laugh quizzing each other on “correct” pronunciations. For example, he insists that Mary/merry/marry all sound the same, but being from NJ, I pronounce them all differently: Mairy, mehrry, and maaarry (like cat).

According the map above, however, I’m in the minority.

“Caramel” is another word that my husband (and two-thirds of the United States) mispronounces. He drops the middle “a” and just calls it “car-ml.” That sounds so absurd to me!

Are there any pronunciations that you and your spouse disagree on?

P.S. – As you can see here, they call is “pop” in Omaha, but I refuse to call a carbonated beverage anything but “soda!”

via Business Insider

Colonel Angus

June 6, 2013

I’m over on Lifetime Moms talking about Michael Douglas’s recent use of the other c-word.

What c-word, you ask? Watch this hilarious Saturday Night Live skit, “Colonel Angus,” featuring Christopher Walken — I’m sure you can figure it out 😉

Click here to read my post!

3 vacation memories

April 29, 2013

With our family vacation less than a month away(!), I’m getting more and more excited about the memories we might make during that week together. In my experience, the things I remember most about my travels are the random bits, not necessarily the sights outlined in my tour books.

For example, I loved seeing Madrid’s historical landmarks when I traveled to Spain with a friend during college, but one of my favorite memories from that trip was when she and I made an emergency stop to the department store El Corte Ingles to buy me a new suitcase. Oh, and neither of us were fluent in Spanish…

I asked three bloggers to share their vacation memories, either a favorite destination or a highlight from a past trip. Enjoy!

“Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland is one of my favorite places I’ve been because it is an area where natural beauty meets activity and history. You can’t help but stumble on the ruins of an ancient castle as you make the winding drive across the coast. With miles of trails through some of the most stunning areas of Ireland, including Word Heritage Sites and breathtaking cliffs, it’s a part of the world you never want to leave.”
— Rebekah, Honeysuckle Life

“I count my many trips to New York as some of my favorites, but my most amazing trip (so far) has to be the one we took with good friends to Beijing and Shanghai almost a year ago. I knew China was going to be different, but I wasn’t really prepared for just how different. The food, the people, the terrain, the fashion, the language and even the air is different in China. Being a food writer, the cuisine was one of the things I was most excited to experience. I wrote blog posts about much of the food we tried, but my hands-down favorite thing we ate were dumplings at Yang’s Fry Dumpling. I’d travel halfway around the world just for another bowl.” — Sarah, Omavore

“Have you ever let your friends talk you into running off the side of a perfectly good mountain? I have. On a bright, crisp morning in Interlaken, Switzerland my two best friends and I wanted to be a little daring. We decided to try paragliding there (although I was really hoping to go Zorbing – where you get into a giant inflatable ball and roll down green hills. How can that not be fun and hilarious!?) Before we could fly, we got paired up with a pilot and once our parachutes were laid out behind us, we started running. You feel a bit like you are running to your death, but then the chute billows out behind you and lifts you high above the trees before your feet run out of mountain. My heart went from almost jumping out of my throat to nearly stopping over the breathtaking valleys and mountains surrounding us. It is difficult to put into words, but it was the most alive I had ever felt. The things that scare me usually end up being the most memorable and life changing, so now I try and challenge my bravery more often.”
— Corey, Better with June

P.S. – How about a cabin retreat? Plus, a new community-based travel blog.

Wish I Was Here + Friday links

April 26, 2013

Zach Braff wants to make another movie, and he wants our help. He’s reaching out to his fans via Kickstarter to raise money for his next project, “Wish I Was Here,” a follow-up of sorts to “Garden State.” Being a girl from New Jersey who was in her 20s when “Garden State” premiered, I was instantly a huge fan of Zach’s directorial debut. I’m not even sure which I liked better — the film or the soundtrack.

I’d love to see “Wish I Was Here” get made, so I think I’m going to make my first Kickstarter contribution. So far the response has been tremendous. As I’m writing this, Zach’s more than halfway to his goal of $2,000,000. Amazing!

After you check out Zach Braff’s Kickstarter page, here are some more worthwhile links to visit:

– Why do we blog? In many ways, I do think it’s a narcissistic activity, although I think the level of narcissism depends on the individual blogger.

– A 360-degree tour of Jenna Lyons’s J.Crew office

– By taking and sharing so many photos, have we become tourists in our own lives?

– Boston runs on Dunkin’

– I’m always motivated by posts about how other bloggers get it done.

– I’ve given JB personalized Treat cards for various occasions; they are such a clever idea! Now you can get 25% off Mother’s Day card from Treat.

– Need a Mother’s Day gift for mom? Make her a Blurb book for 20% off!

– Win 1 of 4 gift certificates from Stuck On You!

– Please take my reader survey (attention, coffee drinkers!)

Q&A with Ami Price of Entouriste

April 23, 2013

Since it’s been proven that planning a vacation creates a boost of happiness, the readers of the new travel blog Entouriste must be very, very happy! Entouriste was founded by Ami Price, one of my first online friends. It’s true! We actually met in person at the National Stationery Show back in 2009 when I owned a (short-lived) stationery company, and I later contributed to the lifestyle spin-off of Elizabeth Anne Designs, her wildly popular wedding blog.

I recently chatted with Ami about her newest online venture, juggling multiple blogs, and her upcoming travel plans. Enjoy!

How would you describe Entouriste? And how long did it take for you to come up with the perfect name?
Entouriste (“ahn tur eest”) is a community-based travel blog founded on a passion for travel and discovering the world one corner at a time. Entouriste brings travel to life in a whole new way with stunning imagery and glimpses into the adventures of like-minded voyagers. We’re bridging the gap between personal travel journals and travel magazines with galleries and articles that focus on showcasing the boundless beauty of the world’s destinations. Entouriste wants to inspire your next journey!

I’m indebted to Kelly Cummings from Spindle Photography for free associating with me via a twitter chat late one evening and helping me to name Entouriste!

You already run Elizabeth Anne Designs, a renowned wedding blog. What inspired you to start another community-based blog?
I not-so secretly harbor a lifelong goal of wandering through every corner of the world, and Entouriste brings together my love of beautiful images and connections in the photography world with my passion for exploring. I will always adore beautiful celebrations, and truly love curating Elizabeth Anne Designs, but this is a whole new adventure!

How do you manage both blogs simultaneously, and how much time goes into running each of them?
I won’t lie – there have been too many late nights, as I am pulling together all of the articles for Entouriste myself currently! Elizabeth Anne Designs was founded in 2007, and although I still review and, in many cases, create the articles for the site, I have a wonderful team of ladies handling many of the day to day duties. And I’m excited to say that Entouriste will be bringing on an editor soon to shoulder some of the responsibilities. Also, after many years of running EAD while working full-time, I’m excited to officially be cutting the cord on my corporate life in early May!

When was the first time you traveled overseas? Where did you go? What were some highlights from that trip?
My first adventure overseas was a 10-day vacation to Rome and Paris in 2004 with my husband and two of our best friends, with whom we still travel annually. Landing in Italy may as well have been landing on Mars, for all of my excitement! I remember the trip well – the feeling of experiencing true ancient history for the first time when stepping foot into the Colosseum, taking that first bite of gelato (I adore gelato!), and, of course, that first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. I also remember being baffled by the lack of breakfast available in Italy, and desperately wanting a salad!

Where has been your favorite vacation destination so far?
That’s such a difficult question, because each destination has its own living, breathing, personality! But if I am pressed to choose, I have to pick Iceland. We rang in 2012 celebrating in Reykjavik, and let me tell you, Icelanders celebrate New Years like none other! We visited Iceland with the aforementioned best friends and their toddler, and it truly is a winter wonderland. We went dog sledding at sunrise (Noon! My kind of sunrise!), swam in the Blue Lagoon (heaven in the cold weather), and toured the fame Golden Circle. But the most memorable experience had to be gathering with everyone at the neighborhood church yard to set off fireworks at midnight for New Years. Pure joy.

Do you have your next trip already planned? If so, where will you be going?
Yes! For me, the thrill of planning a trip is almost as wonderful as the trip itself and I’m currently in the throes of planning my next two journeys. First up, my sister and I are doing a girls’ week in Europe, where we will visit Munich, Salzburg, Český Krumlov, and Prague. Then after a short week and a half back in the States, we are grabbing my husband and jetting to Australia! After 15 years in the corporate world, I’m living it up my first two months out!

Ami’s photographs of the Great Wall of China, dog sledding at sunrise, and the pyramids of Giza are all from Entouriste. Please check out Entouriste and visit them on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. Good luck, Ami! xx

Planning a family vacation

April 16, 2013

When Tea asked me to help spread the word about their first line of swimwear, I wondered if April was too early to start thinking about bathing suits. After all, it barely feels like spring in my neck of the woods.

But browsing Tea’s collection of brightly patterned swimwear, I began to daydream about Levi running and playing on the beach while I buried my toes in the cool sand and listened to the waves breaking against the shore. (Tea’s ruffled tankinis and colorful floral prints also had me dreaming about having a little girl…) No, we don’t need any swimsuits today, but we will need them on our family vacation to Hilton Head next month!

With so much happening in the now, I’ve hardly had time to anticipate our week-long trip to South Carolina. However, researchers from the Netherlands, who set out to measure the effect that vacations have on overall happiness, found that the largest boost in happiness came from planning and anticipating a vacation, not during or after the vacation. In fact, the simple act of planning a vacation could boost happiness for eight weeks, according to an article in the New York Times.

image source

Eight weeks! With our family vacation a mere five weeks away, I’m diving head-first into planning mode in order to make the most of this reported “prevacation happiness boost.” Since I’m sure there’s more to do in Hilton Head than playing on the beach with Levi, I asked one of my very best friends, whose family has been vacationing in Hilton Head for as long as I can remember, for her recommendations.

for breakfast… Southern Coney (“amazing pancakes”)

for dinner… Old Fort Pub (“my favorite restaurant anywhere on the planet”)

for shopping… Radiance in Harbor Town, The Porcupine at the Village at Wexford, and the new Tanger Outlets in Bluffton

for spa treatments… The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa and Le Spa in Sea Pines

I’m also looking forward to riding a bike around the island, playing a few games of tennis, and reading a book or two while lounging on a chaise!

Are you a vacation planner or do you like your vacations to be a bit more spontaneous? If you prefer to plan, how in depth an itinerary do you create in advance of your travels? Also, do you have any additional recommendations of things we should do, see, or eat while in Hilton Head?

P.S. – Our previous family vacation to South Beach last January.

Mad Men Season 6

April 8, 2013

So, what did you think of the two-hour premiere of Mad Men season 6? Truthfully, I found the episode to be a bit anticlimactic. And while I was surprised by what was revealed in the penultimate scene, I was more disappointed than excited by this new plot twist. (Can you tell I’m trying to remain cryptic for those who haven’t watched it yet?)

images via House Beautiful

Even when a particular episode of feels rather dull (as this one kind of did), I am always interested in Mad Men‘s costumes and set design. Since season 5 ended mid-1967 and season 6 picked up at the end of that year, I wasn’t expecting to see any drastic differences in fashion and decor. Actually, it was the men (or some of them) who boasted the most noticeable differences: sideburns, shaggy hair, facial hair, more colorful clothing.

As for the decor, I didn’t notice any major updates, did you?

House Beautiful shared a fun round-up of vintage photos from their magazine, and I love how many of the 1960s living rooms could pass for modern-day rooms with just a few small tweaks. I love the teal sofas and octagonal tables in the top left image, the wall shelves in the top right image, the wall of windows in the bottom left image, and the gallery wall in the bottom right image.

Date night at the movies + best of the rest

April 5, 2013

It’s been a busy, busy week in the best of ways — spending time with family. We started the week hosting JB’s mom in our guest room, and on Wednesday, she turned over the room to my parents, who will be visiting through the weekend. Because we wanted to take both of our parents to our favorite steakhouse in Omaha, The Drover, JB and I will be eating red meat twice in one week. Oh well, I say. Bring on the whiskey filet!

My parents offered to babysit Levi tomorrow night so that JB and I can go on a date. A proper date! Since I’ll likely still be stuffed from my steak dinner tonight, I’m thinking JB and I should have a date night at the movies. The last big movie premiere I remember hearing about was “Oz: The Great and Powerful.” Did anybody see that? Was it good? Actually, the cheap movie theater is playing a few movies I think I’m more interested in watching: “Argo,” “Lincoln,” “Warm Bodies” (the zombie movie), and “Les Miserables.” However, it’s a small cinema without stadium seating, and the acoustics for Les Mis may actually be better in our living room. Something to consider when making our decision…

Here’s what we chatted about on the blog this week:

Jewish kids and Easter egg hunts

What is a weekend?

A new hairstyle for spring

Cabin getaways

And here’s the best of the rest:

Mouth-watering Monkey Bread recipe from Better Homes & Gardens

Tan from the blog Squirrelly Minds (great name!) had a long distance blog date with Joy of Frock Files — what a brilliant idea!

Mariah shared her productivity tips on Ciera Design

Mid-century modern architecture and children don’t mix (via Donuts, Dresses and Dirt)

Ugly is the new pretty? Tell the truth, would you post an #uglyselfie?

Boy or girl? Courtney will be making the big baby reveal today!

And speaking of babies, congratulations to Emily, who gave birth to beautiful Benjamin Howard on April Fools’ Day (no joke!)

Have a wonderful, relaxing weekend!

{image source}

Mad Men Season 6

March 19, 2013

I was sitting on the couch flipping through Feedly on my iPhone Sunday night while my husband was watching The Walking Dead when a promo for Mad Men caught my attention. I didn’t realize that season 6 begins on April 7th — that’s less than three weeks away! While the promo was merely a montage of clips from last season (the cast and creators are notoriously tight-lipped when it comes to revealing plot lines), it certainly whet my appetite for more Mad Men.

Aren’t these promotional cast photos just incredible? I think I audibly gasped the first time I saw them. In black and white, they seem so authentic, as if they were really taken at a party in the late-1960s. (AMC has a full gallery including color photos that are equally breathtaking). What I wouldn’t give to be transported back in time to actually experience that era…

And the women! They look so glamorous in their vintage dresses, dramatic makeup, and big up-dos. Quick question, though. Is Joan’s dress supposed to look that wrinkled across her hips?

Here’s a fun fact for you: The official poster for Mad Men season 6 was actually illustrated by the man responsible for numerous commercial illustrations in the ’60s. What do you think is the symbolism of a black-suited Don passing himself wearing a grey suit? And who is the mystery woman holding hands with dapper Don Draper?

Will you be tuning in to the season premiere of Mad Men? Is it weird that I saved every episode from season 5 on my DVR for the sole purpose of binge watching them before the start of season 6?

{photos via Selectism}

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