Memorial Day

Thank you to those who have given their lives in service to our country, so that we can all be free. 
Image:  Arlington National Cemetery by Paint1st.

Happy Friday!

Hey, everybody!

A quick post to tell everyone to have a happy and safe Memorial Day Weekend.

I'm taking a couple of much needed days off from work.  It's feeling like a quagmire to me lately, and the only known cure that I've found is just to walk away for a while.  So that's what I'm doing.  Until Tuesday.

I'll also let you know that I saw Sex and the City 2 last night and I have to type words that I thought would never type -

I kinda hated it.

And I have no desire to see it again.

In fact, the thought of it makes me tired.

So sad.  Such a disappointment......

Anyway -

Thanks for hanging with me.  I appreciate it when y'all stop by.  I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday.

And I'll see you next Tuesday.
Image:  Sprinkles Make Me Happy by Lauri.

Random Pretty Man

I know it's difficult to remember sometimes, but Alec Baldwin used to be the hottest thing in shoe leather.

The Bee Charmer Loves Paris

"The best of America drifts to Paris. The American in Paris is the best American. It is more fun for an intelligent person to live in an intelligent country. France has the only two things toward which we drift as we grow older—intelligence and good manners."

 F. Scott Fitzgerald

 Image: Rue Descartes by Lesley A. Sico.

A Little Extra Pretty for the Weekend

Erase by Suzanne McClelland.

The Weekly Bean

For those of you who find yourselves Corgi-less, there is one thing about them that you may not know.

They are STARVING.

It's true.

There is never enough food and they spend every waking minute of their time searching for someone to feed them.  The only reason they follow me around so faithfully is that they are afraid there will be some food - somewhere - and they don't want to miss the opportunity to beg for some of it. 

Despite this, the ugly rumor that they will eat until they explode is not true.  They have been bred to stop one bite short of explosion.

Everything they do during the day when they are not eating is just an effort to keep their minds off the fact that they are starving.

The other night I stood at the bottom of the stairs at 11:30 pleading for them to come down and go potty before bedtime.

Nothin'.  Not a peep.

Going up and rousting them would have been more trouble, since they would have taken their sweet time to wander down the steps and we'd have been 15 more minutes of me cajoling them and them pretending to be too tired to pee. 

So - I walked into the kitchen, opened the pantry door and rattled the plastic bag containing organic peanut butter dog treats.  Once.  Within 15 seconds they were both running down the steps like their butts were on fire.  Apparently, there is sleeping and then there's, you know, sleeping....

Recently, they have discovered that they can con our next door neighbor, Miss Alice, into giving them treats.

They now spend quite a bit of time hanging out by the fence.  Waiting.

The other night, Finn was out there for a good hour and a half after dinner.  He had to lay down, he was so weak with starvation.

(This is his pitiful "please feed me" face).

Sex and the City 2

Goin' to see it tonight....

This Charming Closet

I was sitting at my desk last Thursday, minding my own business.

I checked my google account to see if any of my sweet readers had left blog comments, because comments always make me happy.

*hint* *hint* *nudge* *nudge*

O.K. left a message concerning my J. Crew t-shirt post.  Something to the effect of "You know they are having a sale now, don't you?"

Yeah!  I knew about it.

I was trying to ignore it, but that right there pushed me over the edge.

Thanks a lot, O.K.!  

So I went and bought these, which I have blogged about in the past and last Thursday was the day:

Now if I could just get a skinny little waist to go with them....

And since the trouser jeans didn't cost enough to get me the deal, and I wanted them anyway, I also bought these:

'Cause I have the gold ones, but sometimes silver would be better.

Just sayin'. 

And once again I prove that if J. Crew ever goes out of business, I will be naked.

Wednesday - Run Away Without Leaving Home

I am lusting for Paris right now.

Really....
Image:  Structure by Lesley A. Sico.

Elle Decor

Meg Ryan's beach house is featured in this month's Elle Decor.

I can't say that I loved it, but I liked it.  Overall, I thought it was spare and quite devoid of softness and life.  It made me wonder what it was saying about her.

LOVED the purple throw in the living room.  And the industrial console table.  I wish there was some art or something to warm it up, though.  She doesn't even have a lamp shade that I saw in the whole spread!

The kitchen also had some interesting elements, but overall, it felt very cold to me.

I really loved the master bath.  But I'd really need some curtains or something.

The thing about it that I came away with most strongly is how sad it is that she destroyed her beautiful face with horrific plastic surgery.

Isn't that sad?

But it's true.  I could not look at any of it without a little mourning.

Guest Bathroom Spiff Up

I'm getting ready for summer guests so I started the guest bathroom spiff up this weekend.

For a while now, I've been jonesing for new towels, rug and shower curtain.  I figured I'd find a shower curtain and go from there.  I was wrong.  

I fell in love with these towels.  So completely soft and fluffy.  I love the color.

Thomas O'Brien for Target in Pebble.

And the rug is SO soft under your feet. 

I bought a Dwell Shower Curtain to go with them but it was a big, fat snooze in my room.  I'm gonna keep looking.  I may just end up doing something white and crisp with a monogram in the middle. 

Because it's always a big hit, I also bought some new shower gel:

Melon Daiquiri because it's fun for the summer.

And then I picked up some new shampoo, conditioner and soap.  We feature L'Occitane products here at Chateau Bee Charmer:

And the Milk Soap - which is smelling just heavenly in there:

Tuesday's Girl

"Everything you want in the world is just right outside your comfort zone.  Everythingyoucouldpossiblywant!"

Jennifer Aniston quoting somebody in Vogue.

Weekend Shopping - Part 2

Here's the rest of the shopping scoop!

I went ahead and got this little pink dress because it's fun and flattering and easy and I felt happy in it. I feel like I need to find a cool, chunky bracelet to go with it, preferably vintage. And I think the new sparkly shoes will go with it nicely, not to mention my hot pink Furla bag.   It's so Jackie O. 

And I got this black, two button crepe jacket because it is so cool and seasonless and it was on clearance.  I ordered the black crepe pants to go with it so I'll have another suit (and I think I got the last pair in my size in captivity).  I generally don't wear suits - I'm more of a jacket-and-trousers-to-court girl and for the most part I find suits to be - I don't know - just so boring.....

But, a fabulous suit is another matter and when you have one, it's such a pleasure to know you can put it on and do your job and still feel a little stylish.  I want to wear some of my grandmother's pins with this one.   Or maybe pile on a lot of pearls and chains.... 

The Fray Live At the Electric Factory

Looking back over past blogs, it looks like I may live in the distant past, at least as far as musical taste goes.  And that's not really true.  I mean, I try to keep up.

But what you like and what you appreciate is so much different than what you love.

I actually love The Fray.  I especially love this live album, which is composed of the material from (I think) their first album. 

I listened to it again this weekend.  Love!

Water For Elephants

I have finished the book club book, just in time for book club.

I feel like I used to feel in school, when I had finished an assignment. 

You know, relieved and giddy.

This Charming House

This weekend I found the coolest statue for the living room mantle.

Isn't she fabulous?!?!?  She's sort of Oscar-ish. 

And if I had an Oscar, I'd put it right out on the living room mantle.  None of that stickin' it in the bathroom stuff. 

West Virginians are proud of their awards.  We do not believe that they should be hidden away, but rather that they should be placed right out in your front room, with the rest of the what-nots, where everybody can see them....but I digress....

She just sort of stands up there and glows on her little Lucite stand.

Here's a close up:

I found her at Sleepy Poet Antique Mall in Charlotte, North Carolina.  I was feelin' lucky when I headed out that way and I was not disappointed.    She was way in the back on a low shelf.  Let this be a lesson to you uninitiated  flea market shoppers.  You have to dig around. 

I actually went in there looking for a vintage lamp.  Of course, I found a bunch of stuff that I liked, but they were all lamps sold in pairs.  If I had been looking for a pair of ANYTHING, I would never have been able to find them, but since I only needed/wanted a single lamp, no dice.

Then I found this little guy.   He's not vintage but I fell in love with him.

He is the palest, palest *whisper* palest shade of celadon green.

My pitiful photography skills do him no justice.

He was purchased to take the place of the Crate & Barrel lamp that my sweet friend Sarah so sweetly pointed out to me - with great pain - wasn't working. 

I said "Yeah, I know." 

The Crate & Barrel lamp is what happens to me when I try to get too far outside my box.  At some point stretching yourself crosses over and just becomes false.  That lamp was false Tonya.  So I'm gonna sell it on Craigslist or something.

And the genie bottle lamp has now moved over to the desk, just in case you were worried about it.

Happy Monday!

Y'all - shoppin' was done this weekend. 

I mean, seriously.

We're talking pre-recession shopping.  Shopping like the Dow ain't down.  I mean, I can't remember the last time I shopped with so much happiness and spent money with so little worry.

And money got spent.  

It was like 2007 again! 

No, really.  I think it was the first time, in a long time, that I felt like things were gonna be getting better instead of feeling like I was just holding my breath and waiting until we hit the bottom.

Don't get me wrong.  I have been and continue to be very blessed.  The recession was scary and inconvenient to me, but I weathered it about as well as anyone could have.  It helps that I don't owe too much money and my health is good.  If nothing else, it has strengthened my resolve to not get overextended.

But that desire didn't stop me from buying clothes, shoes and another handbag this weekend.  I also spruced up the guest bathroom and bought some stuff for the house.  More about all of that later this week!

And you know, I also got almost everything on my errand list accomplished this weekend!  That really makes me feel good.

I don't care what anybody says, having undone business and clutter weighs you down.  I made a long list of things to do and then I did them.  I didn't have a lot of free time but I slept really well.

We're coming up on a holiday weekend.  So buck up, it's gonna be a great week.....

At least we hope so.
Image:  French Girl's Wardrobe by Lesley A. Sico.

Sunday Morning

This one came back from the Sunday Morning walk with a dirty bottom.

Seems she's been scamming treats again from our pushover of a next door neighbor, Miss Alice.  Miss Alice doesn't seem to realize that this Bean has a very delicate system. 

I said "Did you scam a treat from Miss Alice?"

She said "Who? What? Huh? What? Where?  I don't know what you're talking about."

Because she was just dripping nastiness, she had to go directly to the back yard and get her butt squirted off with the water hose, which she hates.

It's just so common.

I said "You need to shake your butt off, now."

She sat down on the new patio rug and said:  "What are you talking about?  I don't do that."

I said:  "Shake, Lola.  You know you're gonna do it 15 seconds after I let you in the house."

Nuthin.  Just sat there with this face, refusing to cooperate.

I finally let her in the house and I hadn't even shut the patio door before I heard the shake.

She's a little turkey butt is what she is.

Shopping

As I said before, shopping was done this weekend.

Here is a little run down of the damage:

First, I bought the beaded black faille sheath from Talbots:

And then I got these shoes,  for several reasons.  First, they were on sale.  Second, they are comfortable.  Third, they are black patent leather.  And fourth, I thought they looked very retro Kate Spade....

And because of this picture:

I NEEDED a bag like that.  And since the $2300 cost ain't happening here, I had to go in search of a more viable alternative.....

And did I mention that Talbots was having a sale?

So I got this one....  It's not made of real snakes, but I just pretend that it is....

And then I went over to Nordstrom and the FUN SHOES ARE BACK!!!!!!

I got these.  Pewter metallic!  I'm wearing them today.

And then I ordered these because I think they will do wonders for my boring black dresses.  And I have a denim skirt I want to wear them with.  Oh,  and jeans.  I'll wear them with jeans.

They are nothing but fun and I want fun shoes.

It's been too long.

And I went in to Kate Spade and actually met this bag, which we talked about last week:

The good news is that I didn't so much love it in person.  It was a lot more bubble gummy than I thought it would be.  And it was super light.  It didn't feel like an expensive bag and if you're gonna charge a girl four hundred and seventy five dollars, you ought to give her a more substantial bag.

At least that's my view.  But anyway, I don't want it anymore.  At least not for this price.

And Tim Gunn was in Charlotte at the South Park Mall.  I am NEVER in the right place at the right time, but I was at Aveda buying shampoo and he was over in center court hosting some sort of local fashion show.  He looked just like he does on TV.

Doesn't everybody say that?

The Must Haves

My best friend says that sometimes the only thing that stands between her and killing all the other people on the metro is a Twix and a Diet Coke. 

For me, it's the 3 Musketeers bar. 

100 Calories of pure milk chocolate happiness to soothe the savage Tonya. 

Happy Friday

Hey!

I've got COURT this morning!  Can you believe that?  Court on Fridays should be illegal.  Especially if you're me.

I'm just sayin'.

I'm looking forward to the weekend.  I have a bunch of "mall errands" that I need to run, so I'm gonna get up bright and early on Saturday and get over there before it gets too awfully crazy.  These are generally happy errands that involve picking up kitchen soap at Sur La Table, Philosophy shower gel, Aveda shampoo, L'Occitane Lavender bath salts, stopping into Anthropologie to absorb some "French", checking out the sale rack at J. Crew, the shoe section at Nordstrom, the pretty at Kate Spade and finally, swinging by the Apple store to absorb some cool. 

You know, FUN! 

Then I need to hit up the Target and take a patio umbrella stand back to West Elm.

West Elm is particularly dangerous for me these days.  For years, I've pretty much ignored it, but lately it seems I want to buy almost everything in there.

And Kate Spade.  Ah, Kate Spade.  I went in there on an errand during lunch a couple of weeks ago and it was almost so good I couldn't stand it.  I felt like that scene in Willy Wonka where they go in the room with the chocolate river and everything is made out of candy.  That's the way it was at Kate Spade.  Except with handbags!  And sparkly jewels!  And satin shoes!  Heaven!  

Charlotte is welcoming NASCAR racing fans beginning this weekend and will carry on through to the CocaCola 600 or whatever it is next weekend.  The Cup race is this weekend.  Basically this means we are inundated with race fans and I, for one, just try to stay out of it.  Just like last weekend, when the NRA Convention was in town.

They were here.  I was hiding in my living room.   Apparently Newt Gingrich, Glen Beck and Sarah Palin were all in town telling all the Tea Partiers to take the country "back". 

Back from what?  Back from who?  Back to when? 

I mean, if you're not a rich white guy or his mealymouthed wife - is "back" a place you really want to go?  I think not. 

Moving on!

All in all, I am pretty excited to have a quiet and errand filled weekend, wherein house cleaning will probably be involved.  I also need to save up my energy because Sex and the City 2 premieres next weekend! 

YAY! 

I'm a Sex and the City groupie, so it is safe to say that I will be seeing it for the first (and most likely NOT the last) time next weekend.  I read another blog today that said it was almost like Christmas morning and I thought she had a good point.

See, I'm not interested in going back anymore.  I only want today and the hope of tomorrow.  And I want to wear appropriately cute shoes.  

So keep your backs to the wall and your noses down this weekend.

And I'll see you on Monday.
Image:  Extra Extra by Shannon Blue Photography.

A Little Extra Bean for the Weekend

They love each other so much.  

It breaks my heart sometimes.  

Reefer Madness

Apparently, pot prices are dropping in California, due to legalization.

I had long suspected as much.

You can read about the crisis here.

The Weekly Bean

Yes, they do have a fuzzy, leopard print pillow that they sleep with.

Yes, they are very attached to it and sleep with their heads on it.

Yes, sometimes they find it inconvenient and snoot it out of the way.  

Yes, I actually bought it (at Target) for the living room (many years ago) and they appropriated it for their own use (many years ago).

No, they didn't ask me.  They just appropriated.  

No, they don't share it with me, nor do they appreciate it when I take it away from them and put it in the washer.

They have a very entitled attitude about the whole thing.