Paradise

I've been lucky enough to have spent the past week in the most amazing Bolt House, on the inaugural Lithe Escape. I will write more when I get home tomorrow, but wanted to share some of Lauren's photos now. Check them out at on Lauren's blog NOW. Lauren just reminded me that I've worked out 12 hours this week - which is about 12 hours more than usual. I've also worked for 0 hours, which is really amazing. I'm tan, detoxed and I feel stronger. I hope that Jed will be as excited about 1308's new nutrition and exercise regime as I am.

I strongly recommend a trip like this for your 30th birthday.

AB Made This

A while back, I told you about the party dress I made. I just wore it for the first time to dh's wedding shower. What do you think?

Birthday Present Ideas...

LAS VEGAS - SEPTEMBER 30: Enya Kim from the Natural History department at auctioneers Bonhams & Butterfields stands inside one of the world's largest set of shark jaws comprised of about 180 fossil teeth from the prehistoric species, Carcharocles megalodon, which grew to the size of a school bus, at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino September 30, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Bonhams & Butterfields hope the fossil will fetch about USD 900,000-1.2 million when it is auctioned off on October 3 at the Venetian as part of their Natural History auction. The centerpiece of the lot of 50 fossils being auctioned is a 66-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton dubbed 'Samson.' The 40-foot-long female dinosaur fossil, excavated in South Dakota in, contains about 170 bones and is said to be the third most complete T. rex skeleton ever unearthed. Bonhams & Butterfields is hoping Samson will fetch more than USD 6 million at the auction. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) (From Jezebel.com)

One Night Only! It's back and better than ever!

Please join us on Friday, October 2 at Luxe Home for a very special party to benefit Women's Medical Fund. Your ticket includes drinks, delicious food and the promise of a great evening.

Did you know that women on Medicaid are not covered by their federal policy for abortions?
Did you know that any woman receiving medical benefits through the federal government is ineligible to access funding for their own reproductive choice? That includes all federal employees, all soldiers, all women using Peace Corps insurance.

Healthcare reform is very complex and we've all heard the debates about a public option and the unfortunate truth that the people who have the least to loose fight the loudest. I am am terrified that women and children are being left out of the reform debate because they are not represented by powerful, wealthy lobbying groups. Believe what you will about the future of our country's healthcare services, but know that it is a FACT that women will be negatively effected disproportionately than men; and poor women will be hit hardest. WMF believes that reproductive choice is essential, but recognizes that without access, choice is meaningless. By providing direct financial assistance to low-income women, they equalize the playing field, giving poor females the same options that have always been available to their better-heeled peers.

Supporting WMF is an easy act of activism. The money you donate will go directly to the organization. It will not be used in national marketing campaigns and you will not see any specially colored products at the store claiming to raise awareness about this cause. I am asking you, as one who has previously fundraised for another major event in October, honor me and my "survivorness" by making a donation to WMF. Sadly, the money you donate to Komen next month (or any month) will not do as much good as claimed in protecting young women from getting breast cancer. The money you donate to WMF will literally change a woman's life IN YOUR COMMUNITY. This is your chance. And all you have to do is buy a ticket to a really fun party.

Can't come on Oct. 2? No problem. You can buy raffle tickets for $10 each and take your shot at winning 1 of the 3 amazing grand prizes:

• Luxe Home package that includes a sofa valued at $2,500 and design consultation session
• 2-night stay (with dinner) at the Hotel Du Village in New Hope
• Moore Brothers Wine Company "Tutored Tasting" for 24-36 people to be held at your home (or another suitable location)
  

Check out this awesome article about WMF. Hope to see you on Oct. 2.

garden revisited

every day when i come home from work i check on my tomatoes. finally, after waiting almost a month, these two beauties made their debut. they are the first two to ripen, but i know their appearance is the beginning of an onslaught of tomato goodness.

i threw some radish seeds in the ground about a month ago and after seeing the worms had gotten to the leaves, pretty much gave up on them. to my surprise, when i was weeding this afternoon i saw the top of a radish poking out of the ground. i probably could have waited for them to get a bit bigger, but in my excitement, i pulled them all. some of them are pretty small but considering i had written them off, i would call it a success.

Party Dress

I did it!! Thanks to Cathy, an amazing teacher at Spool, I sewed a dress from a pattern!  I took the 4 week Party Dress class and learned so much about darts, zippers, lining and skirt gathering.  I met some awesome women, including a fellow CHOP worker.  I learned that I cannot just decide which aspects of a pattern I want to include in my finished product and I learned that being mindful when I cut a pattern is key. 

As you may imagine from my gorgeous model above, the dress doesn't exactly fit me like a glove (granted, it is NOT zippered on jed).   It looks much cuter with a belt, and I just might wear it to one of the 7 wedding related parties i have in the next 3 months.  Or maybe i'll sew myself up something that fits better.  Either way, I am a proud as a peacock and can't wait to keep up the (better) work. 

weekend recap

basil, squash, sage and thyme from my garden. my laziness in not harvesting the dill resulted in some beautiful flowers for my table. sometimes laziness does pay off.

fresh smoothies for breakfast. strawberry, cherry, blueberry, banana with some trader joe's organic vanilla yogurt (which has now edged out stoneyfield farms as my fave)

photo shoot with the Shuka. she's been staying with us for the past month but she's going home to her mom soon. she pretends she doesn't like us, but i know the truth.

potato samosas for a party i went to on saturday night. a little more effort than i usually make but oh so worth it.

went to fallen fruit's annual Fruit Jam, where you bring home-grown or found fruit (i cheated and bought oranges at the farmers market) and everyone gathers together and makes jam. i am now the proud owner of four jars of mixed berry jam. delish.