Be My Valentine

February 2012:
Flowers, Candy, Champagne, Candles, Hearts, Oysters, Jewelry, Greeting Card, Cupid, Red, Arrows, Love, Music, Dinner Date, Kisses, Snuggling, Chocolates, Romance, Seduction, Gifts, Bubble Bath, Celebrate, Breakfast In Bed, Poems, Movies, XOXO, Sex-

The above are all traditional images and ideas surrounding Valentine's Day and how to celebrate. Select several for yourself and enjoy.

As a rule, I do not go out and celebrate any holiday by going to a restaurant on the actual day of the holiday. So I don't do New Year's Eve, I don't do St, Parick's Day (although I did go last year) I don't do Mother's Day and I don't do Valentine's Day. It always feels rushed and sloppy seconds to me and usually over-priced.
I have been married to my husband for almost 22 years and many years of dating. Before we married he used to write me poetry, make hand-made cards and on occasion bring me a simple bunch of red tulips from a neighborhood flower stand. I would create an elegant dinner at home with some sort of decadent dessert, and maybe a little Champagne on the side.
Today, we usually wait for the nearest weekend and try something new together. A new popular sandwich shop that opened up, a walk through a park we had not visited before, something different in the bedroom, you get the idea. This year we are off to the San Francisco Asian Art Museum that opened in 2003 and failed to visit until now, probably watch a romantic movie and eat a high fat forbidden dinner with a great bottle of red wine.

Top 30 Romantic movies:
http://www.bhg.com/holidays/valentines-day/cards/romantic-movies-for-valentines-day/#page=1

Here are my picks. Yeah, they're oldies-
* Casablanca-Humphrey Bogart
* Shakespeare In Love-Gwenyth Paltrow
* Breakfast at Tiffany's-Audrey Hepburn
* The Apartment-Shirley MacLaine
* Moonstruck-Cher

TOP 10 Things to do for Valentine's day from "ASK MEN"-
http://www.askmen.com/top_10/dating/top-10-things-to-do-on-valentines-day_10.html
By the way Guys, you may want to click on the link above no matter what your situation because this site has a lot of other "men-stuff" to read about. <wink, wink>

"I'll Take Romance"-Steve Tyrell, to put you in the mood. He sang at Chelsea Clinton's wedding.

http://www.amazon.com/Ill-Take-Romance-Steve-Tyrell/dp/B005VR9CVK/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_1

Feeling a bit singular these days? Tired of buying and cooking just one chicken breast for dinner?
Try these-
Sign up for an Adult Ed. class
Attend church functions
Join clubs of your interest
Say 'Yes' to all invitations
Attend community events
Host a party where all guests are required to bring a single friend of the opposite sex.
and finally...
Talk to people, don't be shy

Pinterest

March 2012:

Do you collect recipes, pictures, clippings?

Do you pin your photos, wish list and dreams to a bulletin board?

Do you 'Pinterest' yet?

@Pinterest.com is a digital bulletin board that you curate by pinning your own collection of interests, recipes, fashion, whatever excites you and even use as your support vehicle in your employment seeking visual resume. You may pin those items you are inspired by, your recommended reading list, a selection of your personal vision. Friends can follow you, you follow others, it's a simple process and wildly successful. Touted as the fastest growing internet site today you must invest a little time to investigate. You will be entertained. Admittedly, there is an acceptance process to signing-up but I assure you it is a mere formality and a nice hook.
My co-worker Shirley brought this to my attention only a couple months ago and I was mesmerized by the quality and beauty of the creative images. Some other fashion-driven share sites are woefully inept, frequent server errors and content is visually uninspired. Shirley says she has tried many food recipes and every time they have delivered on their promise of easy, unique and very tasty. I have tried two recipes and both were excellent.

'LIFE-StyleME' Pinterest account . My LIFE-Style ME blogspot is all about Fashion, Food & Travel and so on my Pinterest account I share personal recipes, what I am wearing today, my desire to live in a fantasy home and my filmmaker friends' latest film creation. I have curated it for little more than a month and look forward to growing a history of my interests.
I firmly invite you sign on and start a bulletin board of your own. Re-pin what you find on Pinterest or upload your own creations and dreams. See how many hits and Followers share your passions.

Girl Scout Cookies All Year Long

March 2012:
Girl Scout cookie season will soon be over. Every year during this time I make certain that I carry cash in my wallet before heading out to the grocery store just so that I may be fortunate to find a playing card table set up with those familiar boxes of Girl Scout cookies for sale. I have tried most of the 11 cookies made and by far my favorite is their Thin Mint.

POPOS

Redwood Park, Transamerica Pyramid

March 2012:
Privately Owned Public Open Spaces - POPOS
Local government does good; however landowners in some cases prefer you not have access to their secret.

In the city of San Francisco there are 68 downtown privately owned sites set aside and maintained for public enjoyment and relaxation. It can be a well landscaped walkway with bench seating between buildings of an office complex or even a roof-top

Fashion Fall/Winter 2012-13

June 2012:
Fashion for Fall/Winter 2012-13 is definitely trending toward the olde English. Begin shopping now while the selection is good and size ranges deep. Here are your recommendations to place on this season's shopping cart. Get ready for the Classics of winter.

Spend and Save - Shop and Donate

June 2012:
Today more than ever people are choosing to be socially aware, environmentally responsible and politically involved. 'Be Green' and 'Donate to Charity' are part of daily language and we act, not just talk. Now that smartphones, smartcars, and smart-everything-you-do, not to mention all the

Kentucky Derby - 2012

April 2012:
Saturday, May 5, 2012 is the 138th run of the Kentucky Derby (click) in Louisville among three year old Thoroughbred horses, the first leg of The Triple Crown. What we have here is a lot of history: pomp and circumstance: fashion, food, dust and gambling from a simple

July 4 - Food Food Food

June 2012:
I am sure we can all agree that food is an American obsession. Behind reality television shows, food related shows rank #2. Nothing says summertime better than those dishes we create and look forward to sharing with our friends and family. My more popular blog posts include a food reference or recipe. Without mucking about further here are my favorite

Entertain In Style

Origami Strawberry Cake

August 2012:

A departure from my usual subjects, this week I will attempt to discuss the magical world of napkin folding for your entertaining pleasure. When planning a lunch or dinner at home for friends I enjoy designing an interesting tablescape within a fun theme. Fresh flowers are a traditional accessory

Tattoos - Fashion and Medical Necessity

Larry Downing/Reuters

July 2012:
I have always been curious about skin tattoos; who gets them, why they get them and what is the story behind their design selection? That said, you can assume I do not have any tattoos and you would be correct, but I am still fascinated continually by their artistry and clever creativity. The closest I ever got to having my own was having

Top 10 Food Movies

July 2012:
Today one has so many options available to spend during wasted time while waiting..and waiting..and waiting wherever you are: Department of Motor Vehicles, dental office, Disneyland, grocery store checkout, Little League practice, etc. Electronic gadgets have married the movie and television industry seamlessly through so many outlets such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Google Play, etc. Smartphones, iPhones, and tablets are quickly invading our day-to-day universe with access to

Weird Science - Food and Genetics

August 2012: My inspiration for this week's article began innocently enough when my husband came across an article about lobsters harvested in New England with unusual color and markings due to their own natural mutation. Stories about odd colored lobsters are growing but it is not known whether this increase is due to a four fold explosion in fishing and finding more of these unusual crustaceans or the rapid fire exchanges of

My StayCation

September 2013:
WIKIPEDIA SAYS A STAYCATION (also spelled stay-cation, stacation, or staykation is a neologism for a period in which an individual or family stays and relaxes at home, possibly taking day trips to area attractions. Staycations achieved popularity in the US during the financial crisis of 2007–2010. Staycations also became a popular phenomenon in the UK in 2009 as a weak pound made overseas holidays significantly more expensive. The term was added to the 2009 version of the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.

After a very busy two months, my husband and I decided on a mini vacation beginning

Missioni-Vuitton-Mc Queen-Target Stores, and American Fashion

No apologies from me when I  say fashion design house Missoni and Target Store prove the point of why I began writing this blog. There exists a now obvious truth to what I have to say about luxury through economy. Regardless of how you see people dress in the workplace or on the street

Easter. White Shoes and /Carrot Cake

March 2013:
By our modern calendar it is officially Spring, therefore Easter is near. I was raised in a secular family and Easter was only about backyard Easter egg hunts, candy and a few coins for my piggy bank, which actually was a ceramic pig. In later years I would enjoy half day off from work on Good Friday and my son Blaze would enjoy

Pub Style Burger

November 2013:
Cooking began for me as a 10-year old starved for sweets. My mother who is a wonderful cook at home and headed a restaurant for over 30 years on Palo Alto, California never purchased sweets from the grocery store nor can I say she was a very good baker, sorry Mom. It all began when I rode my bike to the grocery store,

Raincoat For Your Handbag

So a wonderful person in your life gave you the handbag you have only dreamed to own as a generous gift in December. You have not taken it out for its maiden spin around the Mall or lunch with your Besties because the winter weather has been ferocious.

How To Wear Metallics

September 2012:
How to wear metallic clothing? I will admit I do have my share of silver and gold clothing pieces and accessories. I was even told by one friend named Rod, the liquid silver v-neck tank top I wore to drinks required him to wear sunglasses. If this is what your close friends are telling you STOP

Top 5 Quintessential Fashion Movies

October 2012:

Top 5 quintessential films on fashion. What does this mean? There are many lists available detailing for the reader a quick overview of the top 10, or top 25 films on fashion. If the real business of fashion is a serious fetish for you, or just curious to learn what the fuss is about, I have assembled, in no particular order, the absolute top 5

Auctions, Have You Tried One?

October 2012:

Have you ever participated in an auction? I will bet you have. This was the very beginning of a little company called eBay; auction-style garage sale for the masses. Auction style purchasing should always be a consideration when making a buying decision and you can save money

Bars, Brews and BIG

I would never label myself as an aficionado on wine, cocktails or the bar scene but I am witnessing a trend in craft cocktails. San Francisco has the distinction of drinking more alcohol per capita than any other US city! So it stands to reason that our mixologists here in the city are true

Happy Halloween Vignettes

October 2012:
Q: What's a vampire's favorite fast food? 
A: A guy with very high blood pressure

~<>~

Golden Gate Park, SF ~ There's a police officer ghost that roams Golden Gate Park. People will get pulled over and get speeding tickets by this guy, but when they go to file it through the courts they'll find out that the officer listed doesn't exist. He's been dead for many years.

VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE

November 2012:
Election Day for our nation is Tuesday, November 6, 2012. Polling places close at 8:00pm.

If you have not registered for "vote by mail", it is too late to receive your ballot by mail but it is not too late to vote in person. If your mail-in ballot is still resting on the kitchen counter unopened, open it, complete it, SIGN IT and hand deliver it to your polling place

How To Prepare Thanksgiving

TALLBlondes' Thanksgiving Menu

Smoked Salmon Dip

Goat Cheese Filled Puffed Pastry

Hot Apple Cider

Whole Roasted Turkey

Sweet Potato-Pecan Marshmallow Streusel

Green Peas with Browned Butter Pearl Onions

Mashed Potatoes-MAKE AHEAD Gravy

Italian Sausage Cornbread Stuffing

Cranberry Walnut Onion Holiday Salad

Home-made Cranberry Relish

Croissants with Chives

Mincemeat Pie

Pecan Pie

Pumpkin Pie

Cognac

Amaretto

Caffe Romana

November 2012:
A classic Thanksgiving menu at the home of LIFE-StyleME. The shopping happens two weeks before Thanksgiving. I purchase all my non-perishables and specialty ingredients well in advance

Holiday Dress Up

November 2012:
To my regular readers: LIFE-StyleME is now publishing under the new name TALL blonde's style. My TALL Blonde's Cookbook has captured much attention so it made sense to rename this blog effectively. All previous articles are still found here and no need to re-subscribe. I do enjoy all your comments and ongoing interest. Thank you for your support. Miriam Kali-rai

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Holiday season is here, and so begins the season of holiday party dressing. By now you will have already noticed this fall 2012 is the season of sparkle and flash. It's not just for evening wear anymore, day wear has joined in which means it is now very affordable. I recently posted

Candy Is Dandy, But Wine Is Divine

November 2012:
This year when planning your list of goodies to pass out to friends, co-workers, the mailman and neighbors try bottles of wine instead of boxes of candy. The Grammy award winning San Francisco rock band "Train" founded in 1994 also founded 'Save Me, San Francisco Wine Company' which makes

New York City

November 2012
I travel to New York City three to four times a year, not for business but because I have a son, Blaze that lives in Manhattan. These three to four weeks I can be assured he is eating a home cooked meal and not fast food. I then get to visit my favorite shops and restaurants and to make new discoveries. Follow me while I list some of the highlights from

It's Tea Time

December 2012:
"High Tea" is a term many have heard but do you know what it really stands for? High Tea is not the afternoon snack you may have been lead to believe. Instead High Tea is the evening supper; High as in high clock hours or high table to eat the evening meal. "Low Tea" as in the lower clock hours or low coffee table to hold service is served as the afternoon snack to tied one over until a formal dinner

I experienced Low Tea for the very first time this weekend to unofficially kick off the beginning of the holiday shopping season.

Holiday Post Mortem

December 2012:
For me it all begins around Halloween, the holiday season I mean. Decorations, food, shopping, friends, cocktails, gifting, wrapping, pumpkin carving, turkey, stuffing, music, traditions, family, pomp and circumstance, desserts, I enjoy it all.

When December 26 comes around I sometimes look introspectively and wonder am I getting everything out of the season that I