Warning: Lots of Wine Talk Ahead

Thanks for all the help about softening up the socks... I am feeling a bit more confident that one would actually want to wear these bad boys.

Once again, the weekend flew by with no intent of slowing down, even for me to actually dread the start of the week. Literally. I woke up this morning going, WHOA, I have to get dressed up and go to work today?

This was a great weekend on so many levels - I could sit here and blab on and on about all the knit progress I made, the great meal I cooked, and the Sunnyvale Art & Wine Festival (which I will, don't worry!) but it was just icing on the cake when paired with the fact that I have the best BF in the world. We talked a lot of talk this weekend - that kind that gets you all giddy about things to come and slaps you in the face like 'WHOA, is this really happening to me?'. < / mush >

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Friday night was my cousin Mitchell's 8th grade graduation party. He's at that totally fun age where he is so easily embarassed and being the cool older coz that I am, I take full advantage. Do I feel bad about this? Hell no! I can still remember being 14 and I believe this is a serious case of "Pay it Forward"

Saturday we took my ever-fabulous Nanny to lunch before running a billion errands. She was visiting for the above-mentioned graduation, and she welcomed the chance to escape the pre-teen chaos for a few hours.

This week, Jason and I managed to put enough plant food in our tomatoes so that they grew to be about 5 feet tall, then promptly fell over because we hadn't put enough support up for them. It wouldn't be a Saturday without a trip to OSH!

While we were in the area (hmmmm, how did THAT happen?) I stopped by Commuknity for a few bits of fiber bliss. Jason, now fully understanding my addiction to yarn shopping and my distaste for having to drag him along, took up a patio seat at the Starbucks across the street and called his mom (probably to rant further about my problem).

I have been resisting additional purchases until I actually crank out somemore FO's (to salvage a little morsel of my completely moronic un-obtainable goals), but I finally caved because I am dying to make Lelah and I spend at least 30 minutes a day scouring the internet for yarn to purchase forthis top. I finally settled on Rowan Cashcotton DK. Obviously this is going to take a little pattern tweaking, but like everyone else in the wholegoshdarnknitblogging world, I fell in mad, mad love with this stuff. I also got another hank of Artyarns Supermerino for yet another Heart Sachet. Maybe someday I will get around to posting finished photos of the others.




While I was checking out, devising my story to tell Jason why I had more yarn (I just want to go look, I PROMISE), Emy (who was working at the register) recoginized me and said hello. Amazing how this little knitblog ring brings us together, isn't it?

Saturday Night I cooked dinner. I was opening my bottle of Joseph Phelps 01 Cab, so there was going to be no skimpping on the taste content of the meal (i.e. how much butter in those mashed potatoes?). I ended up making GRILLED STEAKS WITH BLUE CHEESE AND CHILES and HORSERADISH MASHED POTATOES WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS. The Blue Cheese and Chili topping was excellent, but I thought when paired with the steak it was too much. It would be awesome stuffed into chicken breasts and thrown on the grill. I also discovered the worlds BEST vinegarette, which I will share when I blog from home and have my notes sitting in front of me.

Sunday we went to the Sunnyvale Art & Wine Festival, where we drank some vino, browsed the booths, and bought a few things here and there. My big score was a pair of mother-of-pearl hoop earrings, and Jason's was a cityscape print of Chicago (his hometown). We ended the day by having an early dinner on Murphy street in Sunnyvale (my FAVORITE spot in the South Bay) and spent the rest of the night lounging and watching CSI.

Obviously Wine Country didn't work out (BOOO) so we are going to Sonoma next weekend (YAY!). JSwag spent about 40% of the weekend working out the plans, before finally booking a room on Sunday. Hopefully we'll be hitting Barefoot, Clos Du Bois, Ferrari-Carano, Toasted Head, and a few others along the way.

Of course, I requested that we absolutely MUST go to Domaine Carneros, because, well, this place is HEAVEN on EARTH and nothing kicks off a day of tasting like sipping champagne on the patio of an estate located in the beautiful Napa countryside.

This used to be Jason's stompping ground when he was a student at Russell Racing, so we will be catching the Formula Race at Infineon on Sunday.

Is it Friday yet?

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I spent most of Sunday morning seaming up my Farmers Market Bag, and realized somewhere along the way I totally f*cked up when I lined up the gusset between the two side panels before seaming and one side turned out all wonky. Am I ripping back to try again? Nah. This is something I plan on throwing a bunch of crap in week after week and basically wearing the hell out of, so as long as there are no holes, it's A-OK with me. Just a refresher on what this project is:


It's Lion Cotton with size 8 needles. The pattern is based off of Zeeby's Bag in Stitch and Bitch

I'm plugging away in bits and pieces at all my other FO's, with nothing too significant to report.

Line um' Up and Knock um' down is the theme for June!

Good Things...

... as our old pal Martha would say.

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Good Thing #1: Yay Viva!

I hope this gets you out of that little self-esteem slump you've been in. You know, the one where you lay next to my pillow all day, sighing heavily as I try to coax you out with a fresh catnip plant at night. I think Dad has even forgiven you for digging in the plants earlier this week, so there is no reason for you not to have a great weekend!

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Good Thing #2: Drinking Wine + Tea
Speaking of a great weekend, I kicked it off early last night with Arabella, some vino and the DVD of Sideways. Oh. My. God. I don't like movies but I LOVED this one. First off all, it took place in my old college stomping ground. Second, it was HYSTERICAL. Third - Um, REALLY good Vino? I literally got chills with Maya's thoughts of drinking wine:

"I do like to think about the life of wine, how it's a living thing. I like to think about what was going on the year the grapes were growing, how the sun was shining that summer or if it rained...what the weather was like. I think about all those people who tended and picked the grapes, and if it's an old wine, how many of them must be dead by now. I love how wine continues to evolve, how every time I open a bottle it's going to be different than if I had opened it any other day. Because a bottle of wine is actually alive - it's constantly evolving and gaining complexity. That is until it peaks - like your '61 - and begins it's steady, inevitable decline."

Someone pinch me! I will definitely be opening some Pinot tonight.

In other beverage-related news, I would like to openly thank Lizzi for rekindling my tea obcession with the gift certificate to Adagio Teas. I have promptly fallen in love with Fruit Medley, thus saving me from my impending-addiction to coffee that this office was fostering. It's 2pm and I am ready for my next cup. Chamomile, anyone?

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Good Thing #3: Knitting, of course
[imagine photos here, I have definitely been lagging in my knit-photography]

Does anyone know how to soften up Superwash Wool? More specifically, can someone advise on how to turn my Knit Picks Simple Stripes socks into something that doesn't resemble sandpaper's younger, less intimidating cousin?

And file this one under "Knitting Satisfaction": I am about 1 hour away from finishing the Farmer's Market Bag, which is my oldest WIP. Hopefully it will be ready in time for Sunnyvale Art & Wine this weekend. Celebration will come in the form of the pattern for the Sunburst Sling.

Due up for the next up for the big cast off: Clappy I.

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PS - Ways you know you are living in the Silicon Valley: KFOG is giving away Adobe® Creative Suite 2 Premium software as a prize in a running contest.

But At Least I Have 1/2 a Sock.

All I want to do is go outside, scream at the top of my lungs, then fall into a blissful sleep through tomorrow morning. Is that so much to ask?

We may go here this weekend. That makes both JSwag and I happy. He gets cars and I get wine.


I must be getting good @ DPN's (or at least spending a lot of time on the phone) because I have whipped through about 1/2 a sock in the last 3 days. Doesn't sound like much, but this is my 'knit while calming down a kid who's freaking out over the phone' project.

Lotsa disgruntled kids out there, I suppose.