Ventage Tuesday: Gifts to Give

Today's topic: Gifts to give. 

1. A well-wrapped gift
My favorite gifts to give are in pretty packages - almost always.

2. Ideas from Pinterest
I keep a "Gift Ideas" board to pin ideas that make me think of other people. I also stalk other people's pin boards when I'm stumped on what to get a special someone for Christmas or their birthday.

3. A gift in the mail for no reason at all
One positive of having friends that live far and wide is sending fun packages. Maybe chocolate? Maybe a little notebook? Maybe just a card? Maybe some Lego Mini-Figurines? Small gifts in the mail for no reason at all are some of the best gifts to give (and receive).

4. Custom gift basket
Obviously, the gift basket needs to be wrapped in a very cute way (see item 1). Some favorite possibilities:

• For my friend's daughter on her seventh birthday: swimming suit, sunglasses, beach towel, and sunscreen.
• For a relative: fancy spaghetti sauce and fancy noodles packaged in a great strainer.
• For a friend who needs to relax: pajama pants, slippers, and a throw blanket.
• For my dad: ingredients for his favorite mixed drink (and a muddler) in a clear gift bag with some crunchy paper.
• For new parents: Gift certificates for Netflix and take-out pizza tucked into a six-pack of beer.

5. Plane tickets and a vacation rental
I'd love to whisk off my most favorite friends to a beautiful destination - a place where we wouldn't have to do anything we didn't want to, a place where we could cook and drink and visit and laugh and relax and enjoy.

Meal Plan # 8

Sunday: Burgers with Bacon Jam (German potato salad and broccoli)

Monday: Buffalo Chicken Salad

Tuesday: Shrimp Fajitas

Wednesday: Out for my new book club

Thursday: Crock-pot Chicken with Pesto and Ranch (noodles and green beans)

Breakfast:
Iced Coffee
Granola and Yogurt

Lunch:
Broccolini Salad
Burritos and Veggies

Ventage Tuesday: Pinteresting Summer

*Title shamelessly stolen from Stephanie.

Turns out I am in good company offering Ventage Tuesday - the Wednesday edition. Several of my other Ventage buddies made similar posts today.

I shared my summer manifesto; today I am sharing five Pinterest ideas that will be part of my summer.

1. Pineapple, Chicken, and Spicy Peanut Salad
I think I could actually eat this as a summer lunch. Plus, I had a great dish at a local Thai restaurant with a peanut sauce. I've been obsessed with it.

2. Buffalo Chicken Salad
Good idea for a super hot day. (And a second salad recipe because what's coming next is not-so-healthy.)

3. Cheeseburger with Bacon Jam
Cheese. Yum. Burger. Yum. Bacon. Yum.

4. Chocolate, Banana, PB Pie
A dessert that doesn't have to bake and contains three things I love.

5. Blackberry Gin Fizz Float
Berries. Ginger ale. Ice cream. Gin.

What I Might Read

A few things from my reading list.

I used Meetup to find a book club. They read about food and meet at local restaurants. The book for June is The Debt to Pleasure. I better get reading. The meeting is less than two weeks from now!

I downloaded And The Mountains Echoed the day it was released. I haven't started it. I'm weird like that. I'm almost afraid to start it. I want it to be wonderful, and I don't want it to be over all at the same time.

Bread and Wine was hand-picked for me by Katrina. I think reading this will make me want to host a dinner party or maybe just convince me to cook again.

Because every summer needs some YA, I will read Eleanor and Park.

Five Quarters of the Orange has been recommended to me by two people from different aspects of my life. I should probably read it.

Maybe I should read a little non-fiction? I started Switch when I was traveling in April. A friend who is completely not a reader highly recommended it. So did lots of other people.

Maybe I should also read a "classic?" Maybe Slaughterhouse Five doesn't qualify as a classic. Maybe I should read something that I should have read in college?

Now, I need to exit the Information Superhighway and step away from the television long enough to actually make reading a habit again.

Happy Summer

Taking a cue from Katrina and from the always-inspiring Ali Edwards and making some plans for summer twenty-thirteen.

Summer Dozen - 2011
Summer Plan - 2010

Ventage Tuesday: Drink Up

What I will be drinking this summer.

1. Gin and Ginger

Gin and Cherry Ginger Beer. 

Or Gin and Ginger Ale. 

Or Gin and Ginger Beer.

Made with local gin from Death's Door.

No matter what - completely refreshing.

2. Bloody Mary
Is it a drink? Is it a meal?
Doesn't matter. It's delicious.

3. Hefeweizen
I'm always excited about New Glarus Dancing Man.
With a lemon, please.

4. Dark & Stormy
Made with local rum from Old Sugar Distillery.

5. Iced Coffee

And, a non-alcoholic option.

I prefer Pioneer Woman's Cold Brew mixed with a little sweetened condensed milk.

There has also been lots of talk (between a co-worker and I) about spiked Icees. A drugstore near work has an Icee machine. We could easily stop after work and have our own little happy hour. Hmmmm.

Don't forget to visit the other V-Girls to see what they are slurping down: Angie, Emily, Katrina, and Stephanie.

33.5

It's my half-birthday, Friends. You know how I feel about half-birthdays. They deserve to be celebrated. I treated myself to a fancy coffee this morning and a little trip to Ulta this afternoon.

And, I spent some time on Memory Lane. I meant to find my favorite 16.5 photos taken since my 33rd birthday. I couldn't choose, though, and ended up with a few extras.

My life might not be exactly what I thought it would be, but it's full, it's happy, and it's mine. I built it for myself.

Some things I like about me. . . 

• I know how to say, "No." I still sometimes feel a little guilty, but I can definitely say it.
• I can imagine the possibilities. I fall short in the execution more often than I'd like, but I can definitely imagine.
• I'm learning to not apologize. I have different priorities than many of the people who are closest to me - not worse, not less important, not insignificant. I shouldn't feel inferior or apologize for that.
• I'm colorful (in my clothing, language, and culinary tastes).
• I am accomplished in my career. It's humbling to think about the brilliance of the people I've formed relationships with in the last 10 years.
• I make people laugh.
• I'm learning to stop biting my nails - still working on that one.
• I like spending time by myself. I can go out to dinner by myself. I can go to the movies by myself. I prefer to shop by myself. I love to travel solo.
• I'm a good friend. I don't make friends easily, but I'm fiercely protective of my people.

Wednesday Blessings

A stranger stopped me on the street on my way to work. She discretely mentioned that my sweater was inside out. (She didn't point out that it was also completely wrinkled and clearly peeled off my bedroom floor.) I will definitely pay that fashion advice forward at the next opportunity.

It didn't storm today. It was supposed to. Instead, it was sunny and breezy and beautiful. I ate lunch outside. I walked through the farmers' market.

I work with amazing people. Brilliant people. Strong people. People who love to laugh. This seems especially important on days when work brings unexpected challenges.

A fabulous new outfit found its way into my life today. It's a green polka dot dress Joan (a la Mad Men) would wear. Except, I can pair it with a hot pink sweater that Joan could never pull off. All that's missing are some pearls.

A friend made me a generous offer today - something I didn't realize I wanted but am so grateful to have.

Ventage Tuesday: Weekend Hangover

Sigh. I miss these girls. They are in my life every day via the Interwebs, but this weekend they were in my actual life. We ate. We drank. We laughed. We (mostly just Em) danced. We talked and talked and talked.

And, today, there is a big hole.

How to recover from an epic weekend?

1. Water. Glasses and glasses and glasses of water. Drunk through a bendy straw.

2. Scheming. Inspired by Katrina to think about a summer manifesto. Dreaming about what will be the most excellent of Barb & Kat's adventures in 2015. Planning a fall trip to VT.

3. Perusing the photos. #averyventageweekend. All 77 photos.

4. A nap. Don't hate me, Ventage Girls who are moms (i.e. all the Ventage girls). I took a giant nap today.

5. Savoring new inside jokes. 
"Whatever question mark." A perfect response to anything ridiculous or non-sensical. "Don't be insulated." To be used in place of "Don't be insulted" - especially in situations where you very clearly should be insulted.

Ventage Tuesday: Ode to Stephanie

Happy birthday to a friend who. . . 

. . . is a great mama to two of my most favorite little men.

. . . can always be counted on to bring dessert.

. . . is the reason that the Ventage girls are finally coming together!

. . . is one of the friendliest, most out-going people I know.

. . . always lends a helping hand (or her husband's helping hand!).

XOXO, Barb

What to say?

What to say about today?

Today I am overwhelmed.
I am angry.
I am disappointed in myself.

I do a decent job of keeping everything together, of seeming okay.
(I even rocked a very big work thing today. Go me!) 
I deliberately plan things to look forward to.
I am great at finding diversions.
I laugh a lot.

Tonight it all has the better of me, though.

Two weeks is d-day. Instead of facing the deadline with organization and bravery and a fuck-it attitude, I'm stuck. I've put off the paperwork; the deadline is too close. I'm back in a not-good place that I didn't really ever want to have to go back to.

Tonight, it is just too hard to pretend that everything is okay.
I wish more people would be honest about that.

Dear Google,

Thank you for always helping me find just want I need. 

Well, that's not entirely true. Sometimes you help me find things I didn't even realize I needed or wanted to know.

This month, you've helped me learn about:

1. Lots of things for work, including: Common Core State Standards ELA, Dibels for PK, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, 2011 Wisconsin Act 166
Google is always watching. Didn't realize that when I'm signed into my home email at work (not that I ever do that!!) Google tracks all of my searches.

2. Style Your Life
Wanted to get caught up on some outfit ideas for summer.

3. Restaurants
I Googled "Trinity Fond du Lac" to meet up with Angie for dinner last week. And, I Google "Maharaja Madison" several times (in the past two weeks). Ordering Indian take-out is the new black. I also Googled "Purple Door Ice Cream." Cannot wait to try that.

4. OK Cupid Self Summary
Yup. I Googled to get inspiration to write a self-summary for my online dating profile. Hanging head in shame. More about that another time.

5. Camp Wandawega
A crazy vaca idea compliments of Kelly. Speaking of Kelly, I also Googled, "Neely bacon recipe" on her behalf.

And, as a bonus confession - I never realized that I sometimes use Google in lieu of a dictionary or grammar handbook. Between 9:10 and 9:11 PM on May 1, I searched for piqued, pekd, and pekid. Pekid must have been the word I was going for. The same night I also searched for ulterior and alterior and i.e. and e.g.,. I have no idea what kind of super technical and fancy writing I was doing that night.


Love always,
Barb

Visit Angie, Emily, Katrina, and Stephanie to see what they've been Googling. You might especially want to check out Stephanie. She's been nervous about doing this post; it must be because she Googles some juicy things. 

Summer Outfit

Today's post was my pick. Summer fashion must-haves. 

Summer is my least favorite season to dress. My legs are completely white - even at the end of the summer. My arms are flabby. My toes don't always look perfectly polished. It's harder to hide the things I don't like about myself in summer clothes.

And, this is the first summer ever that I will be working full time all summer. It means I will need to be dressed for work most days. 

Hopefully, an outfit like this will work at my work most days. 

Summer Outfit by barb-e-novak featuring a stripe skirt

Boden long sleeve top
bodenusa.com

Old navy top
oldnavy.gap.com

Gap stripe skirt
gap.com

Reef beach shoes
zappos.com

Orla Kiely leather handbag
$330 - orlakiely.com

Cord bracelet
etsy.com

Watercolor Painting Heart Art Print Pink 8x10 Fine Art Print Love...
etsy.com

Ventage Tuesday: Hobbies gone bad.

Today, we (Angie, Em, Katrina, and Stephanie) share five photos that are each a "blast from the past." 

Mine happen to all be about hobbies gone bad.

1983? There was that time I took dance lessons. It's recorded (on a Beta tape!!). The family legend says that everyone else danced right and I went left. It's shaped how I feel about dancing in public even as an adult.

1990? Then, there was that time my grandma learned to weave baskets. Of course, I had to learn, too, because what 12 year old shouldn't have the exact same hobby as someone 50 years her senior!??!

Circa 1992ish. Seventh or eighth grade. I was too cool to have a hobby. Or wait. Look at that flannel shirt. Maybe I was failing miserably at being grunge - especially considering those earrings appear to be small, gold hearts.

1995? Family Christmas photo. Remember that time I learned to race sled dogs. What? I hate the cold and the wilderness. Yeah. Another not-so-great idea.

1997. Yes. That's me with another hobby intended for people 50 years older than me. Plus, being a harp player (or the musician of any instrument that goes between your spread knees) seriously limits one's fashion options.

Things I Love on a Thursday. . .

. . . seeing three of my bestest friends within 24 hours. I stuffed myself with pizza, read a book with Natalie, and stayed up late talking with Nicky. I shared Indian food with Angie and heard all about her little people. I bombed Stephanie's dinner plans and snuck in some snuggles with certain little dudes. Seeing these ladies left a big hole in my heart. I miss the time in my life when they were part of my everyday reality.

. . . sleeping in my own bed. Tonight will be the second consecutive night (after almost two weeks away from home) that I will create a little nest amongst my own blankets and pillows.

. . . Scandal. Cannot wait for a new episode tonight. Am hoping I manage to stay away.

. . . planning and scheming. Thinking about the weekend. Scheming about food, drink, and pie.

. . . beverages. At one point today, I had a glass of water, an iced tea from McDonalds, and a gas station cappuccino all lined up in my work space. This was after a homemade latte and before a Frappuccino.

. . . green grass. It's starting to be a common site around here. Finally.

Ventage Tuesday: Daily Stuff

Today's topic: Five products I use daily

1. Google. My tour guide of choice for the information superhighway.

2. Aveda. Shampoo. Facial line. Hair product. I'm sort of a junkie.

3. Polka dots. I've developed an obsession. Bags. Shirts. Dresses. Underwear. Shoes. Someone recently told me that people who wear polka dots are memorable. Even more of a reason.

4. Ford. Current car = Ford Fusion. I spend lots of time in my car.

5. Nespresso. I haven't been home much lately, but my morning routine includes a honey latte made at home in a favorite stainless mug.

Meal Plan # 7: Mad Men Dinner Party

I'm traveling for work from what seems like now until the end of time.

Only meal I'm cooking this week is for a Mad Men premiere party. I'm thinking nothing would excite the ad men (and their women) quite like a fondue party.

Spinach Artichoke Cheese Fondue
Shrimp and Steak cooked in Coq au Vin
(with spicy cocktail sauce and gorgonzola port dipping sauce)
Orange Chocolate Fondue

Drinks:
Moscow Mule
Sloe Gin Fizz

Meal Plan # 6

(Someone bought three pounds of asparagus at Costco. So, this is "The Week of Asparagus." My pee will smell very bad.)

Monday: Shrimp Saganaki (with roasted asparagus)
Tuesday: Asparagus Risotto (probably with rotisserie chicken)
Wednesday: Halibut en Papillote
Thursday: Ziti with Asparagus, Mozzarella, and Prosciutto (probably with chicken sausage)
Friday: Who knows - leftovers? dining out?
Saturday & Sunday: Eating my way through Chicago, KP style

Meal Plan # 5

Summer Dinner (a few weeks ago when it seemed like spring might actually happen)

Sunday: Pizza and Chopped Salad
Monday: Chicken Rollatini with Spinach and Parmesan (and leftover salad)
Tuesday: Chicken, Avocado, and Bacon Sandwich with Broccoli Leek Soup
Wednesday: Cheeseburger Mac
Thursday: Stuffed Portabellos (and spinach salad with bacon dressing)
Friday: Shrimp Saganaki (with steamed broccoli and crusty bread)