Friday, August 24, 2007

K-Mart ad sends the wrong message

Have you seen the back-to-school ad from K-Mart? The little girl is going to do well in the new school year because her clothes look so good. The little boy is going to do well because he has a backpack for all of his books.

What’s up with that? These messages of materialism and girls needing to look the right way to do well in life start so early. It is very discouraging.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

It is still summer, people

Why is it that the first time the temperature drops below 70 degrees in this city everyone pulls out their winter clothes? It makes me laugh, every summer. I saw dark jackets, sweaters over long sleeve shirts, and what could have been wool pants on the bus this morning. Don’t worry people, was have a lot of 90 degree days ahead of us!

I am back from my vacation to Asheville and the Outer Banks (N.C). I had a wonderful time, saw so much great fine art and crafts, bought pottery and jewelry and a quirky painting in Asheville. Relaxed on the beach and saw some beautiful scenery on the Outer Banks. The 1,863 miles of driving was worth it. But you won’t see me behind the wheel for a little while. I love my car, but we have had enough together time.

I also did some yarn shopping, at Yarn Paradise in the Biltmore Village in Asheville, and I stumbled across this neat little yarn shop in Manteo, in the Outer Banks, called Kimbeeba. I found some nice (read: cheap) felting yarn there for some Christmas presents I am going to make.

My test of the mini clapotis is a success I think. So successful that I am considering making the full size version. Is it too much red, though, at full-size?



Monday, August 06, 2007

Summer Vacation 2007

My solo adventure to North Carolina starts Thursday morning. I will be on the road by 6 AM to reach Asheville by mid-afternoon. Part of the trip will be on the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway which starts in northern Virginia and goes all the way to the Great Smoky Mountains. I will have plenty of music to listen to and David Sedaris’s books on CD to keep me entertained. I do not do well on long car trips so I think this will be my biggest challenge. I get bored and antsy holed up in a car for too long.

I am keeping myself free most of the time to explore the city of Asheville but I have booked a half-day whitewater rafting trip on the Nantahala River and I found a couple of yoga studios. My first stop Friday is a massage to unkink after the long drive, I expect it to take 8+ hours. Asheville is home to the Biltmore Estate, home of the Vanderbilts, and I am feeling more of an obligation to visit than any desire so that will be Plan B on Sunday. It looks interesting for a couple of hours which does not justify the $40 admission fee. I think I am going to have the most fun wandering around visiting the shops and art galleries and trying all of the different restaurants I have been reading about in downtown.

After 3 full days in Asheville I jump back in the car for another 8 hour drive, due east, to Nags Head in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Ahhh, the beach. To me nothing is more relaxing than a chair and an umbrella on the sandy shore. Everyone in this area (Washington, DC) goes to the Outer Banks but I have never been.

My biggest angst last night after finishing all of my laundry and burning some CDs was what knitting projects to bring. I am still plodding along with the ballerina wrap sweater, I am mid-sleeve-#2, so I am definitely bringing that. But I want to bring something else. I swatched some sock yarn I bought last year for a possible go at the mini-Clapotis reworked by Yarn Dreams. It’s a possibility. I like the colors, vibrant for a winter scarf.