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When Tara Met Blog
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Packing...again

I hate packing, especially since I just packed up my whole apt in Manhattan last September and unpacked here. At least this time I'm headed only 15 mins away.

You never realize how much stuff you have until it comes time to transport it. All your items which were essential before, now get called into question. Every accessory that you worked so hard to find a place for is now being uprooted. Boxing, placing, taping. It's exhausting. 

That last few nights we've been packing items at our old place and then unpacking them at the new place. Back forth, back forth. We haven't been going to bed until 1:00 a.m. Luckily we have two movers to help us load it all into the UHAUL we rented.

We've sold our old couch and desk, got a new couch, picked up a matching love seat, made a trip to IKEA, installed new locks, cleaned the new place...and the beat goes on. We're getting there though.

Here are the boxes at our old apt and later in our new condo.

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Posted by Tara at 12:01 AM PDT
Updated: Saturday, April 28, 2007 11:46 PM PDT
Friday, April 27, 2007
Come to the dark side

I like a dark room, to the point where I'll wear a sleep mask to bed.

I only eat the dark meat on a chicken

and I LOVE dark chocolate!

My journey to the dark side started with the Milky Way Midnight oh so many years ago, and then the Hershey Dark, but now those just taste waxy to me. They just aren't dark enough, even the extra dark by Hershey is a joke.

My favorite dark chocolate bar is Green & Black's Organic bittersweet dark chocolate with 70% cocoa content. I have a bar in my desk at work and nibble on it each day for an energy perk. It's so rich in flavor that I can almost taste some sort of fruit mixed in.  It's the most intense and flavorful dark chocolate that I've had yet and I've sampled my share. It's made in Italy--like my dad ;) and is a fair trade product. You can find their bars in the organic candy aisle at supermarkets or at upscale food stores like Balduccis. They also have flavored dark chocolate bars too, with hints of mint or orange. I love the original though.  


Posted by Tara at 12:01 AM PDT
Updated: Friday, April 27, 2007 10:19 AM PDT
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Clarity

clarity

To me “clarity” is not a happy word.  To me it means that something has been lost and now your views have been changed due to a final moment of clarity. The whole, one door closes another window opens theory comes to mind. Yes, clarity is a good thing, I just hate that it usually comes after great heartbreak, after something shocking happens that can’t be undone, something that has changed everything and as a result has caused you to see things in a whole new light than you did before “the something” happened.

Usually my clarity comes after the end of a friendship or relationship, sort of like hindsight. It’s not until after the breakup or termination of feelings that I start seeing things clearer and not la vie en rose-- through rose colored glasses.

Speaking of real tragedies though, in the case of the terrible Virgina Tech shootings I've been continually impressed with the parents of the victims and how some even have the clarity at a time like this to already think of the future and about protecting other students by recommending organizations like SecurityOnCampus.org, a non-profit organization whose mission is safer campuses for students. It seems at least one good thing will hopefully come of this horrible event, that future students will be protected and colleges and universities will be more aware of situations like this. 

Seeing all the coverage, it became clear to my friend Elizabeth at FuturisticFamily and I that we should team up to help bring light and hopefully $$ to Security on Campus. For the next week, twenty five percent of the net profits from FuturisticFamily.com will be donated to Security On Campus.

Here are some products and gifts on the site that I found especially cool that you can buy this week and help the worthy charity.

USB Powered Beverage Cooler

Product PhotoKeep your drink cold while you work. This compact Beverage Chiller is powered by your computer's USB port, which chills the cold plate to 45° F. You'll be able to enjoy a cold soda or water without ice while you work, chat, or study. This can be found/bought in the site's Executives section for $24.99. 

A New Safer Candle

Product PhotoIf you love candles but hate the risk of fire or cleaning up wax or just hate the expense of candles, then you'll love the Flicker Candle. It's battery operated and looks just like a real candle. It even flickers like a real candle. A friend had these at a wedding recently and everyone was picking them up to see if they were real. I've also seen bars with them to prevent buzzed visitors from disrupting them. This one sells for $16.95 and can be found in the Moms section as well as the next item. 

Lipstick Pepper Spray

Product PhotoWhy take chances? I just bought some pepper spray because where I live there are a lot of scary bums and because of the incident I had on Halloween, but the one I got is bulky despite being a keychain spray (It's huge!) and it cost more. This powerful pepper formula, meanwhile, is contained inside a common looking lipstick that houses a powerful self protection pepper delivery system. The Lipstick Pepper Spray is a convenient and subtle way to carry the protection you need. It contains 5 one second bursts and sprays up to 6 feet. Perfect to arm college girls or any city women. Oh and it comes in four colors and costs $15.95 each.

PS:
We are now down to only nine Blog-off contestants including myself--it's definitely starting to affect my clarity ;) which if you haven't guessed was this week's word prompt. 


Posted by Tara at 12:01 AM PDT
Updated: Wednesday, May 2, 2007 11:56 AM PDT
Monday, April 23, 2007
A Monday confession

Yes, I used to do these on Thursday's back in the day, but same thing. So my not so secret is that I'm a big fan of Sizzler. I know, it's ghetto, it's unhealthy, but whatever. It's cheap and it's comfort food and I crave it. I just get their unlimited salad bar, which also has a soup bar and I love their soups, salad and chicken wings that are available at all you can eat. Throw in their cheesy bread that they serve you and I am in heaven. Oh and they also have an array of fruits and an ice cream bar too. 

My coworkers make fun of me for liking Sizzler and I'm often trying to get them to go with me on Friday's, but they act too cool for school. Yet, one coworker helped himself to two taco salad bowls once, so it couldn't be that bad after all.

It's not a good sign though that the last time I went the manager came up to me and said, nice to see you again. Another woman gathering salad and soup then turned to me to ask where the spoons were. Hmm yeah maybe I've spent too many Friday lunches eating there.  

There's one near our new place! Yay!

Also, take a look at what my friend and author Farrah Rochon sent me. It's a thank you gift for doing PR for her book, Deliver Me, which got 4 stars in her Romantic Times review! The cookie bouquet from Cookies By Design features coffee cup shapes that look like they are from Central Perk.  


Posted by Tara at 12:01 AM PDT
Updated: Tuesday, April 24, 2007 10:47 AM PDT
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Toasting the condo

As I mentioned in my last post, my friends Divina and Eddy so graciously gave Raphael and I a bottle of Moet the day we got the keys to our condo. Here are some photos of us celebrating in the empty place. I had two glasses, yum. 

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We then hit up Natalie Thai (one martini), Edison (glass of champagne), Short Stop (glass of red) and ended our night at Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles (side order of mac and cheese). Yes, a long and fun night.

Cheers

IM message from one of my NYU classmates (thanks!):
Mookie
:
you bought a home? a home? i bought a pair of nikes this weekend.
Mookie
:
but you bought a home
Mookie
:
congrats!


Posted by Tara at 9:12 PM PDT
Updated: Friday, May 4, 2007 11:05 AM PDT

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