hoppity hop hop

spring is pretty much around the corner (just 20+ days go go!). the other day, my trainer and i somehow got on the topic of bunnies and how they're different from rabbits. from my thorough research, which mainly included entering words into my google search bar and clicking enter, i've found there really is no difference. it's just a matter of preference of us humans.

with that, i thought i'd plug saveabunny, which is a bunny wabbit rescue organization located in marin. i've grown quite attached to a few of the bunnies, at least a few posted on their website, but that's as far as my bunny ownership goes. todd and i are pretty convinced that if we ever adopted a peter cottontail, alphie would either a) attack it with all his might just like he ferociously does with fake mice and stuffed animals or b) bathe it constantly until he threw up bunny hairballs. *ralph*. and neither of those would be too much fun.

to see the fuzzy wabbits at the top, go here.

SF Ballet's 75th Anniversary Gala

San Francisco Ballet
75th Anniversary Gala
War Memorial Opera House
January 23, 2008

San Francisco Ballet’s 75th anniversary officially kicked off last night with the Diamond Gala Celebration, an evening-long tribute to America’s oldest professional ballet company. The evening’s performance portion opened with the "Star Spangled Banner" and a welcome and salute to past Christensen Medals awardees hosted by Board Co-Chairs Pamela Joyner and James Herbert (who was presented with his own medal onstage), and what followed was a lengthy but congratulatory tribute to the company.

First to take the stage (at least in pointe shoes and slippers) were advanced-level students of San Francisco Ballet School, performing excerpts of the American premiere John Niemeyer’s “Yondering,” a work that examines the transition from adolescent to adult (and with nice, expressive choreography to boot). What a joy it was to see these young dancers perform on the mainstage! They leaped, sautéd, and spun with crisp attack and flowing, natural epaulment...

For more, go here.

Photo Credits:
San Francisco Ballet School Students in Neumeier's "Yondering" © Chris Hardy

the guardian

becca: why do you need a stamp?
todd: to send this back to guardian.
becca: what are you sending to guardian?
todd: they sent me a form asking me if i was pregnant.
becca (2 minutes later): and what did you say?

you look bowtiful.

luckily, i've got 3 months to find a new dress for reunion. i was thinking maybe i should find a fun spring frock that'll take me back to my school days gone by: running around on the playground, primping for tea with my teddy bears, and dressing up for cotillion every week (don't forget those white gloves!). what better way to say, "don't you look young!" than with this $980 jean paul gaultier stretch polin bow dress! with all the profits from an organic lemonade stand, you, too, can look no older than 5. pigtail are optional. mary janes aren't.

back to school

late last year, i received an email inviting me to be part of my 10-year high school reunion committee. i sat on it, but finally decided that since i had no plans to go to reunion, i obviously shouldn't be on any committee. in fact, i'm in touch with only a handful of members of my class (and my hands hold approx. 4 people each). that really says something about my school spirit.

earlier this month, i found out that one of my illustrious and well-known classmates intends to attend (does that rhyme?), which convinced me (and another lifer) to throw in the towel and commit to possibly (but not definitely) attending. at that point, i realized that i should probably reply to the original "be on our committee" email, as my mom has instilled good manners in me like taking a hostess a gift and always speeding around elderly drivers (really, you're doing them and your sanity a favor). spooning my soup away from me, though, and performing a perfect foxtrot i learned at cotillion. that, too, i can thank my mom for.

my email reply went something like this:

"I received you email, well, months ago. At that time, I wasn't planning on attending reunion, but as of now I starting to sway to the Maybe/Yes side (specifically if ms. x and ms. xxx attends)! I'm not quite sure I'm the right "kind" of person to be involved, as I left PC after my junior year for college and I'm not sure what I can do out here on the West Coast, but I'd be happy to email others in my class whom I'm still in contact with or help generate ideas of how to "lure" the Class of '98 back to Ft. Lauderdale. Perhaps a Facebook events page? And maybe emails with planning info, hotel discounts/group rates, photos of "way back when," etc.? In the past, I've only received event notices about a month ahead of time, which doesn't make travel planning very easy!"

A few days later, I receive an email to proof. huh? what? and why? well, because apparently now i'm on the official reunion committee. and there's a letter with my and 4 other peoples' names on it at the bottom. like my fair skin and the sun at midday, reunion committee and i don't go together. i'm the girl who ditched her senior year to run as far away from ft. lauderdale as us airways could take her. but now i'm stuck in "pay $75 to relive old and possibly traumatic memories while comparing who has become the most successful/rich/wordly/botoxed/etc." hell. brian promised to give me some "stories" to tell people (and he's a professional writer-- cash cab and trl are on his resume-- with a sometimes dirty mind) so that could be a plus. or maybe i can just tell everyone i invented post-its.

what a happy family...

tuesday night/wed. morning, middle of the night, moon overhead

alphie (at the foot of the bed): *aaaschnew!*
todd (groggily, to me): want a kleenex?
me: that was alphie!
todd: oh. bless you! *snore*

you can call me lemon drop.

american gladiators is back after a multi-year (what, like 15-20?) year hiatus. watching last week, i came to some conclusions.

1. before applying, make sure you have adequate health insurance. remember, those flimsy hard hats don't do much except give you helmet head. also, make water, fire, and hellga insurance a priority.
2. instill fear in your opponents with your abs of steel. if you don't have abs, have them sprayed on. remember, mind over matter.
3. wolf isn't a smart puppy. hoooooooooooooowl!
4. this show is a step up for hulk hogan. no annoying family or animals to distract him from his most manly mission ever: to encourage all over-age men to straighten and dye their hair to the point of resembling dry straw. he's bringing sexy back!
   
5. pick out a positive and powerful name for yourself. and one that doesn't bring to mind boys running around cow-tipping in their overalls while chewing hulk's hair straw for an afternoon snack (like "big country").
6. the lines, lighting, audience, host, gladiators, background stories.... everything, really, is cheesy. it's 100% american. american gladiators, that is.
   

shake n bake

there's been a lot of baking going on lately in our apartment.

prior to x-mas, i made cookies for my coworkers (and todd's, too). this year, i used my new kitchenaid mixer (many thanks to mom and em!) and whipped up chocolate/peanut butter/peanut cookies (made w/chunky peanut butter for some extra crunch), lime cookies (they were like south florida all wrapped up in a cookie!), and almond cookies.
i received thumbs up all around, but the chocolate/peanut ones were the biggest hit. and really, you can't go wrong with those.

i took a well-deserved break for a few days, but with some rest and relaxation under my belt, i used my new ramekins from crate & barrel's berkeley outlet and churned out bittersweet chocolate souffle cakes for NYE (with cherries instead of caramel anglaise).




the next morning, i made fluffy maine-style pancakes for the first breakfast of the new year.


now, for these last two, i have to give a big shout out to my main helper... trader joe's soy creamer! it has a slightly thicker consistency than regular soy milk. what a great milk/lactose-free substitute for whole milk:)

happy new year!

heads up, 7-up

"it looks like someone spilled cherry 7-up!"

-what todd said when he saw the last sunset of 2007