Washington Drank Here

16 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by Karen Neuburger in Girlfriends, Life in the 95448

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design, food, girlfriends, home, life, lifestyle, travel, wine, women

Over the last two years since we have been living at 95448, I’ve come to appreciate the national and even international draw the town has. On a Friday the checkout line at the grocery may be speaking French. The couple next to you at the incredible pizza spot are talking in German. I’m sure I’ve mentioned the likes of Lady Gaga, Pink, Michele Pfeiffer, Seth Rogen, or Patrick Dempsey walking around the Plaza. Tony Bennett staying at our chic hotel and I was in line getting coffee with Seth Green. (I didn’t know where I knew him from and asked if he had done a photo shoot with me). We were both mortified for different reasons.
Today was the best surprise. Walking toward the Plaza after an early dinner, I saw walking toward us a very Irish looking slender red head who looked very familiar. Elizabeth Washington ran right into us. Elizabeth was one of the friendly faces when I was in solitary confinement. Even when it was detrimental to her Job, she was respectful and a desk where I could stop and have girl talk.
So Elizabeth and friend spent an hour or so at our bar reminiscing and making me feel great. I know she was excited to bump into me and I hope she knows how meaningful it was for me. Please someone, send this to her.

Where The Wild Things Are

13 Friday Apr 2012

Posted by Karen Neuburger in Life in the 95448

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comfort, exercise, fashion, lifestyle, nature, pajamas, Sonoma, travel, wetlands, women

On most mornings I hike the trails in the foothills near my home. Today I had to dart between the rain bursts. Between those bursts it was fabulous. I’m used to seeing bunnies, Jack rabbits, quail, deer and even an occasional coyote. A real treat about 8 am as I was almost at Fox Pond I heard a great rushing and whooshing over my head. A large Blue Herring landed in the marsh wetlands about 20 feet away. Of course by the time I reacted with my iPhone camera all I got was the pond.
We are blessed living in such a remarkable area and so happy that some people years ago thought to reserve the wetlands around 95448.
Its now 8pm and as I’m writing this I realize I’m still in my Lycra pants, hoodie and sneakers. Lazy or just part of the women’s comfort club? Does anyone else do this?

The Saddest Thing

12 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by Karen Neuburger in Life in the 95448

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breakfast, comfort, daughters, Easter, family, food, games, holidays, life, lifestyle, pajamas, women

/>The scene in our kitchen is pretty shocking. Headless chickens and tailless bunnies. The yellow tulips are wilted, the floor littered with pink, green and purple grass. It’s the day after Easter.
Our Easter Egg Hunt went off with only one hitch. A computer glitch I told everyone but it was a Karen screw up. I was so excited giving out the rules and picking the teams that before I blew the starter horn, I forgot to check the clues. So the green team got the yellow clues and vis versa. When the blue team finished way ahead of others, I was even surprised. They won Big Chicken blowup Oscar award and I kept my mouth shut.
What a treat to have both my girls home for a family event. Has not happened in several years. Nothing gives me that warm feeling of a comfortable home like when everyone is here.
Too much food, (my savory breakfast bread pudding was moist, cheesy and yes, even savory) and the Honey Baked Ham bunny, dressed like the UPS man delivered right on time. Fruit tarts, coffee cake, strawberry butter with sticky buns all washed down with Mimosas. Maybe that explains the “computer glitch”. Can’t wait to open the pool on Memorial Day.

Hopping’ Down

06 Friday Apr 2012

Posted by Karen Neuburger in Life in the 95448

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color, design, Easter, family, fashion, food, friends, fun, games, life, lifestyle, pajamas, women

Happy Easter and the unofficial gateway to spring. Easter back in Northern Wisconsin/Minnesota (Twin Ports), started with deep prayer.”Please God, don’t let it snow cause I want to wear my new baby blue heels on Sunday”. Snow or not, we dressed up in our sherbet colors like it was 68 degrees and sunny.
I’m noticing this year that Easter seems to be squeezed into maybe a day and a half. Its Thursday and there are no signs of the holiday to be found. Even though I see lots of ads for spiral hams, no mention of Easter. So far, not one “Happy Easter”, as I shop around town. I guess with our melting pot of a nation, and political correctness, everyone is afraid to offend one group or another. It makes me sad. I feel like I’ve lost another piece of my childhood.
Planning my annual Egg Hunt for Sunday. Annual except we haven’t had one for the last 3 years. First due to moving and then the kids were not around. This year we have a full house.
Of course “the kids” are very grown up but are now unruly adults when it comes to all games. It’s surprising that with XBox and video games they still love the heritage egg hunt. It becomes very serious and competitive, with even some high jinks and cheating. My Jewish husband is the worst big kid. Tossing the other teams egg down the hill is not unheard of. The prize is a giant chocolate bunny and bragging rights for the year. Big egos.
This year @ 95448 it will be 68 degrees. My baby blue shoes will be just fine. Happy Easter to believers and kids of all ages. And April Love to everyone. (think Pat Boone)

Channeling Kelly Ripa

03 Tuesday Apr 2012

Posted by Karen Neuburger in Design and Crafts, Home and Garden

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comfort, Coppola, Electrolux, Francis Ford Coppola, friends, home, houzz, Kelly Rips, laundry, life, lifestyle, pajamas, women

A couple of months ago I found a great website called houzz.com. I have to warn you that once you start looking at all the great ideas and pictures, you can’t stop. Give yourself hours and a plate of food. Its an addictive home-design site. Any room, any style, inside, outside, garden, curb appeal, projects, products and professionals.
I’ve found in the last few years that I love both interior and garden design as much as I love fashion. It was a fabulous opportunity when we sold our family home a few years ago and the buyer wanted all our furnishings. Right down to floral displays and artwork. I left with 1 lamp, my baby grand piano. (bought it the first year the KN Karen Neuburger company made money), and personal pictures. Then I went shopping.
Our new home is a 180 degrees from the California Country home we lived in for so long. This home is open, contemporary with a nod to Mid-Century spiced with warm organic. It’s easy to live in and super easy to clean.
My favorite new room inspired by houzz.com, is my Laundry/pantry. Adding a stainless bar height counter, sink and beverage refrigerator to the existing laundry area, now gives me a butler’s pantry as well. Super convenient for morning coffee, toast and an occasional Pinot as I whirl around my Electrolux like Kelly.

More Pancakes

31 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by Karen Neuburger in Life in the 95448

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breakfast, brunch, comfort, food, friends, fun, Jackie Kennedy, Jackie O, lifestyle, pajamas, travel

A cold, windy and very rainy morning. Just the perfect time for comfort food and cozy comfort duds. I’m in my old but favorite jeans and oversized Woolrich cotton navy sweater which is achient . It works on fat days and skinny days. My jeans are tight enough to hold in my tummy but loose enough to eat more. To keep the frizz to a controlled minimum, my grey hoodie vest pulled up around my neck. Just to make sure I add a cotton knit giant purple scarf. Now for the food.
Our favorite local “breakfast all day” spot is 6 minutes away. Everything here is 6 minutes away. Its right on our Plaza and we are regulars and friendly with the owners. Like me, they are from Minnesota and the soups taste just like my Grandma’s. This morning it’s pancakes.
Although I am constantly fighting the scale and the extra 10 pounds I tend to gain in the winter, I eat pancakes often. Remembering a quote from Jackie Kennedy as she made public her fight with cancer. Always very chic and slender we imagined correctly she was a disciplined healthy eater. I can still hear her breathy voice at the press conference; “damn, I should have eaten more pancakes”.
I give myself pancakes.

The Beat Goes On

28 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by Karen Neuburger in Life in the 95448

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beach, California, comfort, family, food, life, lifestyle, pacific ocean, pajamas, Russian River, travel, women

With the Pacific Ocean as our backdrop and background noise, I spent a great afternoon eating fresh crab a short drive from home. A beautiful ride thru the winding hills following the river. Then past the vineyards of Dry Creek to the awesome view where just around a bend the Russian River opens up into the Pacific Ocean. It never gets ho hum. Lunch with my daughter Dany doesn’t happen very often and getting her to take an entire afternoon was a real stretch. You know; the kids, the house, school, dinners, husband, shopping, blah, blah, blah. The beat goes on. Sometimes if I whine a lot it helps.
Northern California is so stunning. Even in the rain which came today by the buckets. Next week the cherry trees will bloom, the hummingbirds will return, the vines will bud, and the barbeque will get pulled out again. And the beat goes on. Spring 2012.

Why The Wait?

26 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by Karen Neuburger in Life in the 95448

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comfort, design, fun, home, life, lifestyle, women

Don Draper even looks good bedraggled. Mad Men is finally back and I planned my entire day around a 6:00pm TVdate with the Sixties. I can’t remember either Ed Sullivan or The Wonderful World of Disney taking an18 month break on Sunday nights. Don’t understand or like the new way TV takes a long sleep between “seasons”.

As a woman, some of the topics and attitudes are uncomfortably familiar. I did see several Mod dresses I would love to have again. I remember keeping it a secret that I could type so I would not be given secretarial work. (pre PC keyboards). Twice I was the token female manager. Their experiment in women as sorta equals. The only woman having after hours drinks in the bosses office just to keep in the loop, awkward at best. A thousand stories in the urban jungle. Thousands of women to tell them. Where was Gloria Allred?
Sure did love The Draper Mid-Century apartment featured tonight. Great use of wood and stylish low sectional with glitzy bright pillows. Cool wallpaper. So if I could just come around again like the fashions and interiors, I would be soooo much wiser.
(note: be watchful for constant spelling errors. I was painting hall murals in the 2nd and 3rd grades)

16 Years of Pink

25 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by Karen Neuburger in Life in the 95448

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breast cancer, comfort, fashion, friend, fun, life, lifestyle, pajamas, pink, travel, women

In 1996, when the Karen Neuburger company was just starting to be known for gloriously awesome comfortable pajamas, we also became among the first fashion company to design around the subject of Breast Cancer. Not always received with enthusiasm due to concerns about “such a negative subject” we nun the less persisted and created an annual Pink Ribbon design. Eventually all the stores jumped on board carrying our pink ribbon pjs., and running in hundreds of races with us (in pajamas) Nordstrom’s was the first.

I was reminded of those days today in 95448 watching the Bubbles for Boobies event at a local town down winery. This was a novel and fun way to raise awareness and funds to fight breast cancer. 16 years later and with various creative and in your face ways, we are still fighting the fight.
I raise a glass to Bubbles for Boobies.

Best of Both Worlds

22 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by Karen Neuburger in Life in the 95448

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California, Coppola, design, food, fun, life, lifestyle, movies, pajamas, travel, wine, women

Our home is situated with a glorious view that I can take no credit for. We look out on Alexander Valley from our front door and Dry Creek Valley from our back door. And just 5 minutes north, by car or bike, is the old/new Francis Ford Coppola winery, restaurant and day-resort. To celebrate our daughter’s return to Nor-Cal we had a great family dinner there tonight. I’ll hate the scale in the morning.