The difference between Men & Boys

As my mother was fond of saying, "The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys."

I got new flip flops! I know, I know, such heady news. About 8 years ago I decided to embrace my "inner Californian" and wear flip flops in public, shorts in the winter and remind my hair that it's supposed to be blond. These flip flops are another step in that direction, go bold with color!

What's so interesting that I would take a photo of my feet and shoes?

Oh yeah, I also got a new camera.

First thing any camera does around this house is take photos of the dogs.

You'll know right away how it handles all the light bouncing off the white. Also how the much red eye you get from them.

This one is doing very well. Now on to the food!

Tomatoes are in full swing and we've got loads. The camera did very well with this test as well, didn't blow out the white plate.

What else should you do with a new camera?

OH YEAH, TAKE IT TO THE BEACH AND INTO THE WATER!

Did I mention this new camera is waterproof to 10 feet deep?

Sand and water won't get in it.

And it's a lot of fun!

The Party Never Ends

Bastille Day or Fête Nationale as it is called in France didn't stop after our party (which we held on the weekend). On July 14th we met friends at "The Little Next Door". It is the charming cafe next to The Little Door restaurant. Its so French, the rumor is, if you aren't French and get a job there, you will have to perfect "zee accent".

The food is amazing. And the service is so authentically French! Incredibly slow, no hurries, no worries, it arrives when it does. It was nearly impossible to get the bill and they seemed shocked we wanted our desserts to go (we'd only been there two hours). They even allowed Mikka to bring her dog to the outdoor patio.

That evening we hit up another French dining institution, Comme Ça. They were slam packed that night and luckily we had been there previously an knew that service we received was not their normal style. Oh well, c'est la vie. It's who you go with that matters.
And we were there with Robb & Lewis and Landis and Tim. We continued the theme from our Bastille Day party by drinking French 75's. (Except Lyle. He'd had his fill on Saturday)

A few people (okay nearly everyone) have asked, "So who is from France?" Uh, none of us. But here is the great thing about the French culture, it's not hard to adopt. As much as I chaff at rules and regulations, the French way of enjoying life with many rules and regulations appeals to me. And the food, the glorious history of the food of France! You'd be a fool to not love that.

Lyle dit, "Viva La France!"

Smoke 'em if you got 'em

Hi, my name is Jim, and I am an iPhone addict.

When Lyle got his first Palm Trio phone and could check email on it I hated that phone. That phone showed up everywhere. At dinners, in the car, on the beach, non-stop checking in on who, what and where. "PUT DOWN THE DAMN PHONE!"

Rules were made.
No phone at the dinner table.
No phone reading while driving.
No phone while watching TV.

I used to take that phone away from him if he didn't obey the rules.

Then that clever man went and convinced me to get an iPhone with him.

Do you know what you can do with an iPhone? Or better yet, do you know anything you can't do with an iPhone?
Email, Text messages, Photos, Restaurant reservations, GPS maps, Directions, Movies, Music, Facebook, weather, calculator, games, crossword puzzles, find a taxi, capture unknown music, watch for speed traps, find a nightclub, get the news, get movie tickets, watch youtube videos, flashlight, calendar, timer, fashion shows, and so much more!

I can't put it down.

I've come to realize that iPhones are the new cigarettes.

You're cool if you have an iPhone.

• You wake up in the morning, fumble around the nightstand to find iPhone, then "light up" to check email before you even put on your glasses.
• In between showering and shaving you "light up" for facebook.
• While having morning coffee, sit down with cup, pull out iPhone and "light up" for blog reading.
• Get in car, start car and while a.c cools off car, "light up" for directions.
• To be polite you walk outside of a building and then "light up" for text messaging.
• "Light up" quickly outside restaurant for second hit of email before lunch.
• After lunch the whole table "lights up" to compare notes on all the emails, Facebook updates, blogs they read that morning.
• You "light up" while at work secretly behind your desk.
• Sometimes you can't find your iPhone and you panic.
• Your fingers itch waiting to "light up" your iPhone.
• If you can't find your iPhone, you'll bum an iPhone off of someone else to use it.
• Get home, greet the family, say you need a minute to calm down, then lie in bed all "lit up" to soothe your mind.
• When you arrive at the table for dinner you have to put your phone out.
• As soon as dinner is over, you "light up" while clearing the table.
• One or two hits during TV viewing.
• Then, right before bed, maybe even while you are laying in bed, you take your last long pulls on that delicious iPhone and drift off to sleep.

Much like a smoker, I can see that these habits aren't necessarily healthy, but my attitude is if you don't like it, don't look. It's my life and I am enjoying it. No, I do not want the name of your hypnotherapist. No I do not want the damn patch. Fine, I WILL go outside with the other iPhone addicts so you don't have to be bothered! That's where all the cool kids are anyway!!

Been cooking

Mozza 2 Go

"please don't put my pizza in the microwave."

Don't judge, Share / Don't judge Cher

I got this fun post via the Post Apocalyptic Bohemian. The idea is to answer a series of questions using the song titles by one artist. He chose The Police because they are an all-time favorite of his. I have selected Cher 1) because I like her, 2) because I have a lot of stuff by her and 3) because she's sung just about every song ever written.

Try it... I got hung up on the last one about food.
Are you male or female? – Just Like Jesse James

Describe yourself – Strong Enough

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How do you feel about yourself – If I Could Turn Back Time

Describe where you currently live – Paradise Is Here

If you could go anywhere, where would you go – The Girl From Ipanema

Favorite form of transportation - Taxi, Taxi

Your best friend is – All I Ever Need Is You

Your favorite color is – Am I Blue

What's the weather like – We'll Sing In The Sunshine

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called – One By One

Find more videos like this on www.truveo.com.

What is life to you – I Hate To Sleep Alone

What is the best advice you have to give – The Beat Goes On / It Aint Necessarily So

Watch Sonny & Cher - The Beat Goes On - 40 years ago in Music | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

If you could change your name, what would it be – Hey Joe

Your favorite food – All Or Nothing

VIVA LA FRANCE!

When Lyle and I sat down with Tim, Landis and Brad to discuss having a Bastille Day Party together I sensed something big in the works. I said "Big". I did not sense "MONUMENTAL".

What began as a "Wouldn't it be cool to have something like the Eiffel Tower leg jutting down in to the party," after a drink or two became, "Or even a miniature Eiffel tower," which after a few more glasses of champagne turned into "Oh hell, just build the whole damn thing in the driveway!"

And then Brad showed up the day before the party with his assistant David and this went up. I think you won't be surprised at all to find out that it literally STOPPED TRAFFIC on the street. "Are you having a PARTY!?""Uh, no, just a few friends over..."

Once inside the Eiffel Tower you are wrapped in a red jewel box with a crystal red chandelier. That chandelier is not usually over the driveway. Lyle changed it out just for the party.

Blue, white and red glowing orbs floated over the path to lead you back to the bar. Back to the crepe station, back to (shhhh, okay, I'll say it now. Yes, we were having a PARTY!)

Look at me! Look at me!! Look at me!!!

Brad arrived. As if the Eiffel tower weren't enough, he made large headdresses for extreme photo opportunities.A close up of this headdress reveals the banner says, "Let them drink Non-Vintage!"


Marie Antoinette attended sans skirt. Apparently she was running just ahead of an angry mob and didn't have time to finish dressing.

Two queens beat a full house.

Bryce, Joy, Kellie and Brian. Kellie wore her Blue sweater, white t-shirt and red face to honor the French.

When Penny arrived sporting all her Hermés orange bracelets and other accessories, I felt compelled to show her my Hermés dining room.

Brian, David, Brad, Christopher and me. I met David and Christopher through their blogs. Be sure to check out Dit21 and the Clever Fool.

A toast!

Erica and Landis cut a fine fashionable figure.

Special unexpected guest star, Ricky, flew in from Manhattan!

I've known Shawn "forever" he wonders what my secret is to staying so young. First off, I never say how long I've known someone.

And then PROMPTLY at 10:00 pm (I run a tight ship), SHOWGIRLS!

And that Queen steals the show.

After Marie lost her head, er, wig, it seemed to travel...

Robb is thrilled with Tim's inspired confetti fireworks.
Lyle is trying to figure out how to work them.

Lyle seems unimpressed after all.

Lyle and Tim were feeling no pain... at this point.
Don't ask about the next day.
Seriously.
DON'T ASK.

Lyle Amadeus Mozart.

Mr. and Mrs Johnson give out party a "thumbs up" rating!

Parties don't happen in a vacuum. Thanks to Lyle, Tim, Brad, Landis, Ellys and the dancers, Robb & Lewis. And a party is just you sitting around your house in fancy clothes if no one shows up. So a big thank you to the guests who made it what it was... A PARTY!

Thinking of Bastille Day...

A few random photos as we head towards Bastille Day.