Tag Archives: comfort

Vacation Ends

23 Monday Apr 2012

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Be careful what you ask for. Really! After several years of both a “time out” and “time off”, I’m seriously back to work.
I was exhausted my first day. As if I’ve never worked a day in my life. I can’t say I was uncomfortable, just the opposite. The design studio feels very familiar. Walls lined with style boards, fabric rolls in every corner, everyone multitasking, and garments draped on anything. I found myself just tired from thinking.
Now my home is not quite as neat. There is still laundry in the hamper and a load in the dryer. Hand washing a few dishes because I haven’t emptied the dishwasher. A couple of weeks ago this would really have bothered me.
Over the last few years I’ve worked from home on a few fashion assignments. Convenient, but solitary and somewhat boring.
I’m excited to have interesting projects and smart conversations with knowledgable people. It’s fun to have small personal discussions about men, kids, movies, lunches, men, weddings, friends… It just feels so good to be in a creative atmosphere again. I think I’ll go back again tomorrow.
Note: prep for 1st Day of Work. Hair, nails, clothes chosen, iPad charged and car washed. More highlights please.

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Where The Wild Things Are

13 Friday Apr 2012

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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?

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The Saddest Thing

12 Thursday Apr 2012

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/>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.

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Channeling Kelly Ripa

03 Tuesday Apr 2012

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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.

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More Pancakes

31 Saturday Mar 2012

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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.

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The Beat Goes On

28 Wednesday Mar 2012

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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

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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

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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.

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Comfy Simplicity in 95448

20 Tuesday Mar 2012

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Not a really fun day. I spent most of it struggling with this blog. Getting all this technology linked, the iPhone, iPad, and my iMac all to talk to each other is harder then dealing with 12 year old girls.
I promise I won’t bore you with my exercise accomplishments, what I’m making for dinner, or my personal horoscope.

So short and sweet today, I just got my two new mid-century chairs. I value comfort and simplicity over grand style. These chairs have both well worn comfort and straight forward style. Broken in since the 1960’s, with softened leather and some tall dark stranger’s gentle use. Sliding into one with my book, my imagination and a piece of chocolate.

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