Espresso A Go-Go

Is necessity the mother of invention, or is invention the mother of necessity?  I’m not sure what your take is, but the inventor of this amazing gadget is a genius! 

Handpresso Wild E.S.E.

 Meet the Handpresso Wild E.S.E (Travel Set).  I found it on Illy.com because I received an email about their 3 day sale (which started yesterday).  This blog post is going under “Galley Goodies”,  “Deal of the Day” and a new category called “Fully Caffeinated”  because of the nifty gadget, the Illy.com sale (enter ESUMMER7 at checkout to get your discount) and because I’m addicted to anything with caffeine. 

Basically you just pump the machine, add hot water, put in the pod of Illy and you have espresso!  Whether in the car, in a hotel room, when you’re camping or practically anywhere, you can have delicious Illy espresso at your disposal.   You can also keep your Handpresso protected because the hard travel case is included. 

The only drawback I see is that you have to purchase the E.S.E. pods from Illy, but even that isn’t enough of a drawback for me.  The coffee addict in me just can’t turn away from such a magnificent piece of caffeinated machinery!

Zoo Review

Zoo Wear: Carter's shirt, Baby Gap shorts, Stride Rite shoes

Dominic’s first time at the San Diego Zoo!   He had a great time.  And my little boy is BRAVE!  Just check out the glass cages in the images below.

Photos by Cyrillynn Chen

Fish tank

Tiny paws

Monkey see, Monkey do!

That's a rattler, not a rattle!

Pondering the pachyderm...

Mommy, I've decided: I'm gonna be a zoologist when I grow up!

Is that the duckie from Wonder Pets?

Wake up mama lion...it's me, Simba!

One For One Movement – A Pair Of New Shoes Is Given To A Child In Need With Every Pair Purchased – TOMS.com

One For One Movement – A Pair Of New Shoes Is Given To A Child In Need With Every Pair Purchased – TOMS.com.

I’m wearing Toms in my header picture (which was taken at Battery Park in New York).  They have a great program called One for One, which means for every pair sold, they will give one to a needy child. 

As you know, I’m a shoe fan…so knowing that one of my favorite pasttimes is doing something good for someone else makes it so much more worthwhile.  And they are by far the most comfortable shoes I own.  I wear them anytime I know I’m going to be doing a lot of walking (like the Zoo).

I’ve got mine, please get yours.

Successful (Bargain) Hunt

Destination:  Las Americas Premium Outlets

Merchandise:  Tory Burch dress pants, previously $350. Purchase price, $42 (Neiman Marcus’ Last Call, without the coupon!)

Michael Kors thin knit cardigan sweater, previously $79. Purchase price, $20 (Michael Kors outlet store)

Stride Rite Sunfish boys sandals, previously $31.95. Purchase price, $10 (Stride Rite outlet store).

Total:  $72

Savings:  $388.95

Sense of accomplishment and proof to husband that one can leave the outlet mall without spending over $200:   Priceless!

New Order

Like the new look and the new layout?  I changed the header, adding my own title and a tagline, which is a line from the song “Any Second Now” by Depeche Mode (where my blog title was born).  I needed to streamline the look a bit, so I made some upgrades and changed the fonts.  I added an email subscription, and created a section for categories, archives, and some of my favorite links.

I’m getting ready for Dominic’s grandmother and great-grandmother to come into town.  My own mother went to the casino for the day, so I’m waiting for my husband to return from golf so he can stay with our son.  This will allow me a little shopping time at the outlet mall, and I intend to use that great Last Call coupon (see the “Deal of the Day” section).  I think we’re going to the San Diego Zoo tomorrow, which will be fun for Dominic.

My sister is going to Philippe’s today with her family.   It was featured on one of our favorite shows, “Man vs Food” (the Travel Channel), and she’s going to give me a review with pictures to let me know if it’s as awesome as it was on the telley.

Alright, I’ve got to prepare for my mini-trip to the mall.  I say mini-trip because I have a specific destination.  Call it a mission, if you will.  I hope not to get sidetracked.

I think I can, I think I can…I think I can!

Galley Goodies

Noodle love

I’ve added a little section devoted to all things that have to do with my kitchen:  things that my husband is cooking, things that I’m baking, nifty gadgets that either I’ve found or my friends and family have found, and cute things that my son and niece are doing when in my kitchen. 

Speaking of which, here is my son during dinner a few nights ago.  My husband cooked one my favorite of his dishes:  “Firecracker” shrimp scampi with angel hair pasta.  Dominic had hot dogs because the shrimp was a little too spicy for him.  But he loves noodles, so we gave him some angel hair to eat as well.  As you can see, he had a little too much fun eating it! 

Bake & Carry

Here is something nifty I found:  It’s called a “Bake & Carry Cake Pan” from Mainstays (Walmart brand).  It has a handle that becomes a cake server.  Since I’m a baker more than a cook (hubby does most of the cooking), I had to add this to my collection of gadgets.  I haven’t used it yet, but at the next work potluck, I’ll make an easy Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle (a nice alternative to regular cheesecake) and use this rather than my trifle dish, which is difficult to carry and keep in our refrigerators at work. 

Microwave safe container with spoon/fork utensil

I then found this cool little item while making a quick run to Food 4 Less.  I have since lost the labeling, but it’s a small container that can hold hot or cold items.  It comes with a spoon/fork combination utensil that folds up into the top.  As a new mom, little containers like this come in handy when traveling with a growing and demanding little boy (mostly when he’s hungry).

Kitschy little espresso cup from Mesquite, NV

My favorite item so far is this:  A little espresso cup with spoon that I got in Mesquite, NV at the gift shop in the Casablanca Casino & Resort.  I’m an avid coffee and espresso drinker, so to have a little spoon at the ready for when I add a little cream to my shot of Illy espresso is a nice touch.

That awesome coaster was from a set that was a wedding gift from a friend who is a fellow DJ (my husband spins house music).  They are made of recycled record labels cut out from real vinyl records found at Vinylux. 

Keep an eye on this section for more cool kitchen finds!

Photos by Cyrillynn Chen

Alice’s Brand New Wonderland

Mini Amey Dress - Alice by Temperley

I just had to post this because one of my favorite fashion designers, Alice Temperley, has made her more affordable sister line called Alice by Temperley available online.

I bought 3 Alice Temperley dresses from Target’s Go International line that was released 2 years ago, and I still get asked where I got them.

I’m all a flutter about British designers (my boss says that I’m a wanna-be Brit), so I’m excited to view this new online site.

Alice By Temperley

Temperley London (The original site)

Time Won’t Give Me Time

So true, Mr. George O’Dowd (AKA Boy George).

I don’t know how I lose track of time so easily, but I do.  I’m always finding myself rushing to meet a deadline, or rushing to get to an appointment.  I try so hard to get ready ahead of time, so that I won’t be late, but maybe I just work that way.

In “He’s Just Not That Into You”, Alex (Justin Long) says to Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin) that women love the drama, which is why we become late on bills and why we deal with men in a certain way.

I was talking to a co-worker, shared that same quote, and she and I feel the same: it’s not about the drama, we just thrive under pressure.  When something is due a month ahead, I never finish anywhere near the middle of the month.  I’m always good at prepping for that deadline that far in advance, but once the prep work is done, that’s when I procrastinate.  But it’s not because I like the dramatic side of getting close to a deadline, it’s because I have nothing motivating me to get it done sooner.

One time in college, I knew that I had a paper due on the Monday right after a big family party in the Palmdale/Victorville area of California.  I wanted to get it done ahead of time, so I had all week to write that paper.  What did I do?  I wrote that paper the Friday night before we left that Saturday, burning the midnight oil until I finished that paper, which was at 7am.  I packed for 2 hours.  We then left around 9am, so the only sleep I had was the 3 hours driving there from San Diego!

Even when I’m trying to get ahead, I’m still can’t do it until the last possible minute.  Believe it or not, I received a decent grade on that paper (I think it was a B+), so I guess there is a method to my madness after all.

Deal of the Day

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love a great deal.  Good thing for you that I also love to share those deals when I find them, so here is a new category called “Deal of the Day”.  This is so I can share with all of you great online coupons, sales or any deals that I find.

Here is the first one:  I’ve shared my love for Neiman Marcus Last Call with you on a previous post.  They sent me a coupon that is good from July 15-19.  It is for $50 off any item of $100 or more, but excludes color-stamped clearance items and jewelry.

I know I can find something at Last Call for over $100 that I would be willing to knock off $50 for!  Take advantage of this great deal!

$50 off $100 Coupon

For Sale

Not a very exciting post today, but I am selling my cute black Prada open toe pumps.  I tried so hard to make them work, but they definitely were just too big.

I have another pair that are a size 39 (which fit very well), but these are a size 40.  If you know anyone who would be interested, here is the link on ebay.

I’ll function a little better later today and post something with more substance…hopefully!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Black-Prada-Open-Toe-Pumps-Size-40-/170513369108?cmd=ViewItem&pt=US_Women_s_Shoes&hash=item27b3638814