Mel

{holiday spirit) oooh, pretty paper!

Oooh, gifts. The secondary meaning of Christmas. The proof in the pudding of HOW WELL DOES MY SIGNIFICANT OTHER KNOW ME?! I was happy that I had the opportunity to cuddle some kitties at the Humane Society prior to leaving for Ohio. Although it broke my heart every time I wished a cat a Merry Christmas. I hope they find warm, friendly homes this season. But I digress… AB & I spent Christmas Eve...

Mel

{game night} Apples to Apples, Christmas Edition

Yep. This card happened. And I was the judge, so AB was most definitely not winning this round. I just love playing games on holidays. So. Much....

Mel

{holiday spirit} …and a kick in the nuts!

I chuckled at this holiday gift guide: Gifts For Someone You’re Planning to Dump (aka: What to Buy Your Soon-to-be-Ex) – {Jezebel}. Passive-aggressive never worked for anyone. I never intentionally sought out gift ideas for people I didn’t want to be with (I suppose I should have taken my own hint when I didn’t get 10SB something for Valentine’s Day)… and most of my...

Mel

{she’s crafty} handmade arcade

It was difficult not to buy all the Pittsburgh t-shirts and 83 key necklaces at last weekend’s Handmade Arcade. But we did get these awesome holiday card packs from local artist Noelle Griskey, of Pink Bathtub Designs. Her etsy shop is full of cute letterpress goods — good for you and for gifts. YES, I’M SENDING OUT HOLIDAY CARDS THIS YEAR. But definitely not before Thanksgiving. Trying...

Mel

The Year-end Special Special Post: Cleaning House Edition

Every rose has its thorn. Just like every post has its theme. And something about donkeys, I think… Moving on and moving up, this 2010 round-up includes a lot of house cleaning — literally, metaphorically and of course, ha-BITCH-ually. January. I went on the most amazing vacation ever: The Rock Boat (Number X). This year, partly because of the moving expenses and mostly because of the settling...

Mel

White Christmas: the Cleveland, err Akron, Frontier

We went back to Ohio for five days, of which we spent most in the Akron area — AND I got to see all of my sisters (and two out of three brothers). Our family did a pasta bar slash White Elephant Party that I hope to celebrate similarly for the next decade. So much great (cheesy, saucy) food and fun gifts under one roof (and I stole a much-sought-after Smucker’s Sundae gift set from my mom...

Mel

Christmas Lists

I hate when ideas for gifts hits you well after the buyer has asked. Together, AB & I had a comprehensive list — mostly stuff for the kitchen — but then I realized this past weekend that our living space could use some new furniture pieces. For instance, a new TV stand, which I gather HE would never go for, but I hate having all glass matched with dark wood accent tables in the living...

Mel

City Exploration: Pittsburgh (Part Three)

Here is Part One and Part Two of my Pittsburgh Adventure, if you missed them. Continuing on my eating adventures of Pittsburgh, I walked (again, the 20 blocks or so) for pancakes at Pamelas in The Strip. This is the cute old-style greasy spoon diner that Obama loved on his visit to The ‘Burgh. What’s good for Mr. President is good for me, right? Unfortunately for my waistline that morning, I...

Mel

PT: Gift Guide

While the post office and UPS dictate it is far too late for potential online presents to invade your body cavities for the naughty holiday known as Christmas, if you order today, you and partner can spread some… ahem, “joy” next Tuesday. You know, the only truly important day of the week. Behind getting laid every day, OF COURSE. Some gift tips. And just the tip: Women love candles....

Mel

Everyone in Cleveland owns a black wool coat.

Bundling up for a chilly, long Friday out in Cleveland, I buttoned up my black wool coat after work, and headed west to Fatheads to meet AB & his work peeps. I drank a beer called something like Monkey Nuts. Seriously. After moving the desk (previously mentioned in this post) into my condo in River (for temporary storage), we pulled up a couple bar stools, stacked our black wool coats on the...

Mel

I dream about cookies. Crumbly bits.

Eternally* I will wonder if there were truly cookie crumbs down my top while I slept. I vaguely recall a mid-slumber freakout of “something” crawling around in my cleavage. Dream? Coincidence that I baked new cookies? One can never be too certain. *By eternal, I mean, next Spring, when I decide to finally vacuum because there are now ANTS in the bed. Although I did dream vividly about Drug Mart...

Mel

What’s new?

I caught up with my ex — The Fiance — yesterday. And no, it’s not some big secret that we conversed. AB knows we’re friends. “What’s new?” he asked, in request of status from our last conversation a couple of months ago. Everything is JUST as fantastic as the last time we spoke – downtown living arrangements, permanent awesome boyfriend placement, upcoming ...

Mel

A (high maintenance) gift guide to your man whore.

I love my man whore. But after scrolling through his recommended gift guide, shit, he has, ahem, “expensive taste.” He’s a high maintenance ho! I mean that in the most affectionate way, of course. So, if you still do not know your man well enough for gift-giving practices (perhaps you should not look at this list because you should DEFINITELY not be spending this much on him), take a look...