Wednesdays

Got the chance to go to NYC today for a business meeting with my brother. It was a privilege to spend the day with him. We got to share our Fishbird work with someone new, who was a star and totally got it: I'm chomping at the bit to work with her. 

Our meeting was downtown on Broadway and 9th Street, my old stomping grounds. We got a bite at 'witchcraft (because I love Tom Colicchio and his fried egg & frisee sandwich) drove past my old office, and proceeded down the canyon of capitalism known as Broadway in Soho. It has such an effect on people that we actually stopped the car and got out to shop. Uniqlo had the gall to be closed for inventory, so we popped into Balthazar for coffee and roamed around. 

We went to Saturdays, where they sell surfboards, coffee, duffel bags, and other dude stuff. We walked by a hip barber shop, Fellow Barber, which reminded my brother that he wanted a haircut. They had no openings so we ended up at a Korean or Japanese place on the corner. He got a haircut and I got a chair massage by the strongest 100-pound woman in the world. Ouch. But also, yes! 

We waited for our car to pick us up in front of Madewell where I had just enough time to run in and get a life changing bag, inspired by Jenna at Sweet Fine Day. On Monday we met with a fancy new PR firm that had me thinking I should get a better purse. I didn't think I was serious until, in getting ready for our meeting today, I realized that I need to get a better bag. 

So I did! What a lovely day.

Other Things To Be Thankful For

Everyone needs to be wearing these shoes this summer! They are right up there with clogs -- highly recommendable to pregnant people or any woman who gets a pedicure for the foot massage. Worishofers were all the rage in Brooklyn circa 2006, and I'm taking the liberty of bringing them back. If Birks can come back, anything is possible. Ugly shoes are where it's at y'all! 

. . .

Also, I went to the liquor store a stone's throw from our new house and low and behold they have my favorite wine ever -- a Chenin Blanc/Viongier blend -- in the cooler! Further proof that this house was my destiny! Keep it in stock, people!

And lastly, after 32 years I have finally subscribed to premium movie channels, and it is the most decadent and amazing thing I have ever treated myself to. Even more than the cleaning lady. She is amazing, but it in different way, like if we didn't get her we may have exploded from stress, resentment, and misery. HBO is just awesome, no strings attached.

New Acquisitions

The Little One and I have been going on mother-daughter trips to Marshalls lately. It's kind of the best. Any kind of mother-daughter recreational activity is something to be really cherished, and the retail therapy is a great bonus. Today we stopped at the bagel place in the same shopping center and had my little girl's favorite lunch -- a bagel with cream cheese and a side of lox. She gobbles up the lox like a penguin. We sat outside and she was delighted by her food, the people and pets passing by on their way to a pet store, the flags, everything. It was the perfect temperature. A perfect date.

Later we went to the beach -- our seventh time this summer! -- and stayed til after the lifeguards left. We practiced drawing pictures in the sand with our toes, building and decorating sand castles, chasing birds, and saying "blimp!"The three of us cuddled and counted to twenty and giggled until it was time to eat dinner. 

It was a perfect Sunday and I have some sweet new shoes to boot. It may seem excessive but I have had to throw two pairs of shoes three pairs of shoes (including the best black sandals ever made!) out in the past month because they literally fell apart. 

Summer Day Of Fun 2013

We riffed on Smitten Kitchen's hand pies with peaches instead of rhubarb, our crust instead of hers, and circles instead of squares, with America's #1 Next Door Neighbor. Verdict? Very delicious but very labor intensive. Next time we'll make them bigger.

We went antiquing in our own neck of the woods and found a limited number of gems, but the upside was seeing the antique stores packed with customers on a summer Sunday. 

Then we went to The Annex for oysters, shrimp, and wine. We examined our purchases (JFK cards for my brother's bday) and my dad joined us for more apps and stimulating conversation. He is preaching at his church this Sunday and we were sharing thoughts on his scripture.

... I love that I just wrote that. We grew up "with morals," not religion, but I enjoy everyone in my family on a journey to find their own path to inner peace as we grow.

We couldn't remember what we did last year. I think we may have taken the year off, unadvisedly, in retrospect. But for the record, 2011, 2010.

The European Makeover Continues...

Crazy boots, dramatic hat, neon jewelry, sparkly sweaters. Picked up the sweaters at a store called Reserved, while the rest was found at good old H&M. Sure we have it back home, but being here brings out another side of my identity.

Now to fit it all in my suitcase!!

P.S.
Went to their T.J. Maxx, T.K. Maxx here. It was a madhouse! I was able to understand how people who don't like T.J. Maxx back in the states feel.

Further Elaboration

This is for my "anonymous" commenter. The sweats and the sneaks. The sweater doesn't photograph well and the Ts don't look like much.

Bershka And Other Foreign Wonders

You guys. Bershka. Check it out. My brother and I almost cleaned the store out while shopping in Bucharest. They were playing crazy European house music and I caught myself thinking, just for a moment, that I might never leave. Bershka, Bucharest, Europe. I felt my identity shifting.

Alas I am back home in beautiful New Jersey but I have been googling half-remembered lyrics of some crazy Eastern European club anthem to no avail. Maybe I'll always be an American girl, but I'd still like to be able to call up my crazy European alter-ego while out for a run.

To further my inner European identity I also picked up some awesome European sneakers. And a scarf (even their men wear  cotton scarves.) I got some "fancy sweats" that defy category -- two pairs. Three perfect t-shirts for $6 each and a slouchy cardigan at a store called, ironically, New Yorker. My travelling companions had to pull me out of a massive Zara before I blew my life savings (Zara Home and Baby!).

But seriously guys. I left my heart in Bucharest. It is such a beautiful city, with a vibrant life, and humble, open people. I felt enriched. I felt safe. I felt stimulated. It reminded me of my time in Madrid. It's a city that's not trying to be anything else than what it is. It is too consumed with it's national identity and it's own experience to worry about comparing itself to someplace else. Where else would you want to be?

I have a few more pictures, but I am struggling. They won't get it across. This city doesn't want to be reduced to 2D.

Little Feet

Passed out in the car seat after a fun afternoon.

They might actually not be so little... Mr. SevPrez jokingly refers to me as Chief Big Toe (I do have a big big toe), so I dubbed the little one Chief Little Big Toe.

Funny names aside, she started walking on Monday, July 9th. Two steps at a time, a couple times. Now I believe she's up to 4. Very, very exciting.

My mom would also like me to add that she's signing "more" and "all done."

Today three generations of SevPrez women had an impromptu summer day of fun. Mom met me at the craft store where I was picking up dye for an upcoming project. Then we went shopping and had lunch. Chief Little Big Toe didn't sleep a wink. She was just too excited to miss a thing.


Add caption



Progress

Since my last post I've been doing the January thing... Eating more green vegetables in my dinners (then, against my better judgement, following it  up with Twizzlers AKA poison, and waking up feeling terrible). Cleaning out my closet (triumphant without caveat). Going back to the Power Center where I have found that my fears of working out with 18 year old Division I scholarship athletes has been replaced with the even grimmer reality of working out with 13 year old boys. A horrifying situation for sure, but when I get past my urge to run out the door, I find it's actually an opportunity to put my middle school gym class feelings of inadequacy and isolation to rest once and for all -- which is not to say that I don't always finish last in all the exercises, or that I don't feel like screaming out "You know I had a baby 5 months ago!!!" but I'm getting there. Actually I find that my mom tendencies are more predominant -- I want to yell at the kids for being obnoxious, half-assing everything, and not doing all 3 sets of reps. Then I just tell myself, they are kids, and not your kids. Let them learn life's lessons at their own pace, which, after all, is the only pace at which anyone learns anything anyway. 


Yesterday morning I was mentally patting myself on the back for not buying anything in the month of January (sure it was only 12 days but it felt like SO much longer) when I got an email from my boss alerting me to a flash sale of brightly colored pillows on One King's Lane that she felt I just couldn't miss. Damnit! I ended up buying two pillows for our new couch (which still hasn't arrived yet). At checkout, next to the total you're spending, it says "You're saving $X amount!" which triggered all my rage and shame about our American consumer culture and made me feel like a stooge for making the purchase. But I did love the pillows, and we will give them a good home, and I can use them in any of the rooms of my house for a long time so I got over it. (Also in this category: I am looking to get a rug for P's room and have decided only to get a rug she won't grow out of and that we can use in other rooms. I had visions of a baby pink rug on the curb in 8 years.)

At the end of the day I will never be a minimalist.  
Hopefully just a manageablist.

Next. I was cleaning out my desk at work (for maintenance, I'm not going anywhere) and couldn't bring myself to toss this very old doodle. Ridiculous. This morning I decided to scan it and get over myself. I feel better, even if it is only a slip of paper. Does this count as posting a drawing? I have been meaning to draw something for a while now. Sigh.

Admit it: this would be the illest print on a pillow.
Totally worth keeping for 4 years.

Full disclosure, I also bought a bunch of watercolor markers yesterday. I think I must buy art supplies every winter, since all I aspire to do is stay in all weekend and make stuff (which actually happens once a year). Which is probably why I am so creative in all my fantasies about what our lives will be like if we move to Maine. Promise to post something I make with them soon, since that will further justify their purchase. Also I swear I am going to get my office organized, which means all my art supplies will have a beautiful nook to dwell in. More fantasies!!

And coming up: Stolen Goods Bake Shop will be popping up at The Market at Porta for Valentine's Day, on February 11th, noon to 4. We'll be bringing some excellent alternatives to Whitman Samplers that you can impress your valentines with. Thank me later.

Oh! And little P is rolling over, sitting up, and eating solids. Time flies!!!

Happy January.

Quality Control

I've been thinking a lot about quality lately. Quality of life. Air quality. Quality wardrobe investments. Top quality pieces of furniture. The quality of my writing (which has taken a nose dive on this blog, sorry about that.)


So many things in 2011 are disposable. As a culture it seems we've decided that disposable = easier. Maybe that's true in the short term. Buy a bottle of water and throw it out when you're done. That's easier than remembering to fill up a water bottle at home, carrying the empty vessel around when you've drank all the water, and washing it when you get home. But think of all the hidden work in that water bottle. You have to stop somewhere to get it. You have to throw almost $2 away on it. You acquire a useless receipt that may or may not hang around in your pocket for too long. You have to wrangle with the recyclables at your house. And then there's the psychic toll of thinking about how all our empty water bottles have turned into the 8th continent of the world. Ugh. (Have you seen The Story of Stuff? It takes 20 mintues. Do check it out.*)


Or take most of things that are bought at Ikea. Sure, my $600 Ikea couch lasted almost a decade. But I also have a garage full of $20 lamps, chairs, and $2 vases that I cannot bear to throw out but don't want in my house anymore. I bought them when I moved from an apartment to a house and felt the imperative to fill the house up. But I couldn't afford nice pieces and didn't take the time to muse about what the chair that I would really love and treasure for the better part of my lifetime would look like. I just saw things at Ikea that I could afford immediately, and voila -- problem solved. (Apparently I'm not the only one, and that's why Ikea is the biggest furniture manufacturer in the world.)


Or all the sweaters I've bought because they were $20 on sale and who doesn't need another cardigan? You know who? I don't. It's taken me a long time to figure out that having a glut of bargain clothing doesn't make me a better dresser because I have more options. In fact I tend to wear the same things over and over again because I can barely squeeze my hand between the clothes in my closet to see what's in there. I forget about a lot of the clothes I have because they are lost in the oversupply. I give away a garbage bag of clothing every seasonal wardrobe rotation. I just keep filling up my closet with irresistible bargains. The quantity obscures the quality. 


Having a baby who comes with lots of stuff has really amped up my anxiety about being overstuffed. There are less drawers in which I can hide away my extra things. The baby has a lot of stuff that is constantly in use and has to stay out in the open. So I find myself, about every 2 weeks, thinking of a new corner of my house that needs to be organized and cleaned. All the things stuffed into my secret hiding places need to be ruthlessly sorted through, thrown out, or put back in an orderly fashion -- in clear bins labeled with a P-Touch! I want to be one of those Bed Bath & Beyond ladies!!!! Okay, no, I don't actually need to go shopping to acquire more things to put my things in. But I have never before had the desire to take on these particular Martha Stewart qualities (in the past it's always been glue guns, yes, overly organized drawers, no). 


A lot of people feel over-stuffed at this time of year with food and with objects. This year my family tried to reduce the amount of presents exchanged, and though we did make a dent, I still found myself really disappointed with the amount of shopping, spending, and wrapping I did. But it was a step in the right direction. 


I have gained a lot of resolve and taken solace in a blog called Treehouse Chatter. It's written by a friend of mine who over the past few years has embraced veganism, minimalism, and environmentalism. I don't want to speak for her (you should really read her blog), but I think her personal evolution has come from a very curious, exploratory place, and as a result I find what she shares on her blog (and in our conversations) to be inspiring and ellucidating, not judgmental, intimidating, preachy, or militant. I am really happy to have a place on the internet that I can visit when I have cruised my regular assortment of pretty blogs that have me thinking that I would be a much happier person if I got yet another incarnation of a long-sleeved striped t-shirt. 


It's nice to know that there are blogs that inspire healthier living, not just online shopping. I'm not sure what Seven Presidents inspires, but I hope maybe I have piqued your curiosity enough for you to click on Treehouse Chatter and see what it has to say. 




*After you've watched that, perhaps you need something a little lighter. I recommend Marcel The Shell With Shoes On One & Two.

Bonjour!

Just had to share this little french donut-hat wearing bear that my mom picked up for me at Bodega Shoppe when we popped up there in July. He's keeping my Grammy & Pop company as they look over our new baby girl, and he has a pencil ready to take down feeding and napping times. Merci, nounours!

The List Is Back

This morning over blueberry pancakes I had a little therapy session with Mr. SevPrez. I have been staying up til 2am every night with the feeling like I'm waiting for Santa. I have always been a night owl and now that I don't have any reason to set my alarm I'm showing my true colors. Waking up in the morning knowing there is nothing on the agenda, really, except birth this baby is a bit emotionally overwhelming, seeing as how I have no control over whether it happens or not. Couple that with the incredible heat wave we had over the last few days that made it really difficult to spend any time outdoors, and the fact that everyday I feel more pregnant and more uncomfortable, and it's physically taxing as well. Let's just say I'm sick of the couch, and we have watched every movie made in the last year.

I have a real need to feel productive, whether it's at work or at home, and I realized this morning that I really miss my lists. I kind of stopped writing them since I have been kidding myself that everyday delivery is imminent. No wonder I've been feeling so lost. So when my session with Dr. SevPrez was over, I made a little list and we set out on an expedition to run some errands and cross some things off.

We went to the Red Bank Antique District to look for a set of vintage drinking glasses, since I keep breaking them and we are a very thirsty family. We were just about to leave empty handed when I noticed an area we missed, and low and behold, we found a set of 8 glasses for $25. They are pretty awesome and harken back to a set I got in Brooklyn many years ago that has since died.

And we stopped at a craft store so I could just bite the bullet and get some embroidery floss to make friendship bracelets. I had a nice set of contractions earlier while making this bracelet and it was the perfect thing to focus on. Of course the contractions since went away or else I would not be writing this, but I finished the bracelet and it's ready to give to a friend as part of her birthday package.

Marimekko Love

Guess what everyone's getting for Christmas this year?

As of tomorrow, the Crate & Barrel below my office will also house a Marimekko store. This is very dangerous! My cloth napkin collection has already grown to two fully stuffed drawers! I already have my eye on their pillows, and my tiny Marimekko dress (thank god leggings are in or else it would be scandalous) is one of my favorites. I doubt they will carry apparel but I will certainly let you know!

Things I Would Spend Money On If It Was Coming Out Of My Ears...

Just in case there is some rich benefactor looking to grant three wishes, or any of you have some gold doubloons burning a hole in your pocket and share my taste.

1. This utterly amazing small sofa from Wisteria would be the perfect replacement for my black leather Ikea loveseat, which is definitely a placeholder for something more special.

2. Any number of items from Lauren Moffatt's outerwear collection. I was really salivating over this plaid number until I realized that I basically have the same thing in buffalo plaid. Imagine my good fortune!

What can I say, it's been a long hot summer and wool coats are apparently the farthest thing from my mind, until now. But this little schoolgirl cape would be a fine addition to someone's closet. So adorable! I am a fall cheerleader for sure.

3. A Cuisinart Food Processor. My whole life I grew up and it was the only thing my mom ever used to mix anything. For 20 years it was KitchenAid who? Now I am a slave to my gigantic mixer (and won't even take it off the counter because I love it's red-ness) but I'm crushing graham crackers by hand to make tart crusts and splashing tomato bits all over my kitchen with my immersion blender while trying to make gazpacho. Santa, are you listening? The time is nigh.

4. I'd commission portraits of myself and Mr. SevPrez from John Perry. Check out the ones he did for Steve Nash and his family. For some reason I'm completely enamored of this guy. I think it's probably because he's an athlete and an artist, and I find that combination highly desirable. There is nothing better than people who can't be pigeonholed.

The Flux of Stuff

Two Saturdays ago I managed to participate in a town-wide garage sale without buying anything of anyone else's. I was pretty impressed with myself.


When my friend asked me if I had anything to bring to her sale, I jumped at the chance, thinking of all the things in my gigantic garage (oh yeah, I have a tiny house and a gigantic garage, have I ever told you that?). I was pretty disgusted with all the things that have been sitting in there for as long as two and a half years, still in boxes from when we moved from Brooklyn. I packed my car to the gills in the morning, and swore I none of it would ever come back. Still, I enjoyed my time so much at the garage sale that I haven't been able to bring myself to donate my leftover possessions. I'm considering setting up a corner of the garage for future sales. 


I did manage to barter a really cute tray of mine for a really cute sundress (with the tags still on!). Aside from the excellent company, that's definitely the upside of having a garage sale with like-minded individuals!


There was one new item that ended up in my garage at the end of the day — a clawfoot tub. It just so happened that Saturday was also the day that my brother the architect called us over to a beautiful old house he was working on to pick through the items that were removed from the house. We got a great dishwasher for our kitchen reno (which hasn't started yet, I'll keep you posted), but I couldn't leave without the tub. I'm hoping it will eventually replace our funny green tub in our funny little bathroom that we don't currently have the money to redo. Until then, maybe I can use it to store various items that are waiting to be sold in the next tag sale. 

Costco Is Serious

For many of you, this is old news. Or perhaps you have taken for granted the gravitas with which your favorite big box wholesaler conducts its business. As a new member, I'd like to remind you.


First, you cannot enter without showing a card. Second, in order to obtain said card, you must 1) pay money, 2) produce a valid driver's license, 3) get your picture taken and printed on the card, just in case you intend to loan your card to a friend who's in dire need of bulk mustard. Third, you cannot stand near your cart while checking out. As the sign instructs, "Carts on this side ---> Patrons on other." If you forget this, you will be reminded. Fourth, you mustn't bring a bag into the store. Not even a fabric Baggu. This is to "prevent theft." Not really sure how a bag makes it easier to sneak away with 2 gallons of olive oil, but okay. Lastly, you must keep your receipt and your membership card out for the man (not the same guy who checks you when you enter) to cross reference your receipt to your cart, "you know, to make sure you weren't double charged," explained the well-meaning cashier who initiated me into these Eyes Wide Shut-type rituals. I left feeling like I must look very suspicious. And also proud that I escaped without spending over $250* -- they should give out prizes to anyone can spend under $100.


After transferring my smaller items into my Baggu bag before putting them in my car and unloading all the other massive items into my trunk, I wheeled my cart into the cart-wrangling area. (Mr. SevPrez yells at me when I don't do this). Running back to my car in the rain, I felt a twang of fear that a large man was going to materialize and yell at me for not returning my cart correctly and strip me of my membership. Is this what it was like in the U.S.S.R.?


If I am uncomfortable with my card-carrying status (it may be the final rite of passage into adulthood?), my gigantic bag of Stacy's pita chips and tremendous hunk of manchego cheese will console me until I feel better.


*My biggest act of restraint was taking the box of 80 pigs in a blanket for $15 out of my cart. You can't see me but I am bowing.

Priced Out of ABC

Last night a friend and I ventured up to ABC Carpet & Home to check out the Madeline Weinrib Atelier sample sale. I covet almost everything she does and always thought I'd give my pinky toes for her amazing patterned woven rugs and bright print pillows. Like everything in ABC, Weinrib's stuff is expensive, and I had been warned by a friend that the stuff at the sale was still pretty pricey, but it might be worth it if I found something I really loved. So we journeyed up to the sixth floor hoping that I would find something that spoke to me.


Lo and behold, right away I spotted two yellow ikat print throw pillows that would be perfect on my white couch, but there was no sign or tag to indicate the price. My friend mosied off to locate a sales person, and when one finally materialized from a secret back room she told me that the pillows were "four fifty." 


My brain couldn't really register which "four fifty" she was referring to -- $4.50 or $450? Neither made sense. I would have thought maybe $45, or even $145... but $450!?! Mary Mother of God that is expensive!


The tall blond sales woman in the sophisticated dress and heels must have been able to tell from the look on my face that it was taking me a while to process this information. She smiled and slowly backed away. I put the pillow down, made a show of circling the rest of the room, touching textiles here and there. When I finally reached my friend who was casually browsing another display of pillows, I sidled close enough for her to hear me say "we need to get out of here immediately" without moving my lips.


Once we were safely in the elevator, we ranted and raved about the incomprehensibly preposterous world we had just glimpsed. We left ABC and walked across the street to Fishs Eddy, a store packed to the gills with adorable kitchenware in our price range, and soon everything was better.


Looks like I will be ordering my ikat items direct from Uzbekistan, for the nice price of $19.00. Ah, the wonders of the internet.

Alexander Girard at Urban Outfitters

This is not exactly breaking news, just something I realized I forgot to share. Check these home goods licensed by the Girard estate for sale at Urban Outfitters. Girard is part of the pantheon of iconic mid-century modern designers, having designed textiles, objects, and motifs for Herman Miller and others.

I picked up his love pillow a few months ago and it's aiding me in the quest marry my two biggest aesthetic cravings, the first being historical ephemera and all my antique store buys, the second being  graphic, happy moderism with a sense of humor (see yellow Trina Turk chairs).

In this vein I recently acquired two clear acrylic chairs from Ikea to take the look into my dining area, a contrast to my lovely built-in hutches and excessive amounts of molding. I know I'm taking my house in a different direction when my mom, who very generously volunteered to go to Ikea for me, left me a voice mail of disbelief that I could possibly want these pieces of furniture for my home. The chairs look fabulous, though, mixed in with my more traditional dining chairs. They're an excellent alternative to very expensive molded Eames chairs and Knoll Saarinen tulip chairs, and the clear acrylic helps my very small house seem a little bigger.

Back to Girard. The collection debuted this summer, and I have a feeling it's all going to go on sale soon. I'm trying to hold out for my next purchase, a duvet cover in colors I have never, ever been attracted to: creams and oranges, with a little purple and green thrown in for good measure. But I think it will be a welcomed change in our tiny bedroom whose walls were supposed to alabaster but are much closer to butter. (I really wanted to paint the entire house white but was shamed out of it by our lawyer at closing. As new home owners on our way to the paint store, we lacked confidence.) It's a color that plagues me daily, but I hate painting so much that I refuse to do anything about it. I do think this pastel duvet is just the thing I need to change the context of the room (which really only fits a bed and is filled with butter colored built in shelves and drawers.) I'll let you know when the sale starts!

The Antiques Report

No trip to Maine is complete until you've filled up an old cardboard box with antique purchases. My favorite shops in the Bangor area are the Antique Marketplace & Cafe and School House Antique Mall (530 S. Main St., Brewer, 207-989-9777). My Aunt, who once owned her own antique shop in downtown Orono, always accompanies me and any other takers (usually my mother and her daughter). She is known for spotting things that don't immediately catch your eye, but inevitably turn out to be great finds. She gave me the chipped aqua urn, which I would run back into a fire to retrieve if the situation presented itself. She is responsible for half of the things in my house (the other half coming from Ikea), and helped me pick up a few more things on this very nice, leisurely, stroll through the booths. Here's what I got:

Sterling silver candlesticks (AM&C)... One of the few items on my list. I can't bring myself to buy new candlesticks, they just seem to lack soul. And a vessel for candlelight should have some soul, wouldn't you agree?

Old ceramic miniature pitcher (AM&C)... Great for a small arrangement of flowers. This was actually from my aunt's booth. 

6 Hand-painted in Japan What-not plates (SHAM)... Could not resist the idea of new small plates or the deal -- $4!!! Will come in handy for cupcakes, olive oil, olive pits, shrimp tails, and general adornment.

2 Rubberstamps (AM&C)... Less "antique" and more just "used," but at $2, the paper nut in me could not let them go. The honey bear is for my friend who is quickly turning into a stampoholic, and I got the greyhound for myself, to stamp on mail going to my Maine relatives, since they are greyhound owners and lovers.

A Pyrex bowl and matching glass lid (SHAM)... $10 for less Saran wrap in my life, now that's a deal.

 

2 very charming shallow bowls. Mr. SevPrez gave me the "we already have too many bowls" look, but then he left, and I brought them home with me. No regrets! I think this was the future I envisioned when I registered for white plates. : )