Never give up! Never say die! Never surrender!
These are the various forms my motto will take during this job search, I've decided.
Right now, I'm pushing to get my resume done despite the fact that all I want to do is eat goulash and surf the internet. A blog post is my happy medium between the two.
A "fun" fact: This morning's USA Today poll says that 29% of readers classify the economy with the song "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
It's Official!
We're going to Europe! Finally! After almost 10 years of "preliminary planning," we're off. Leaving on Tuesday, May 26 and returning on Friday, June 12. Phew. Finally.
YES!
Also, I'm happy to report that I am 46 states deep in my trek across the US of A. I finally got Delaware last Tuesday when I had a gorgeous dinner in downtown Wilmington. It was fabulous!
YES!
Also, I'm happy to report that I am 46 states deep in my trek across the US of A. I finally got Delaware last Tuesday when I had a gorgeous dinner in downtown Wilmington. It was fabulous!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
In Honor of Today
TODAY (March 22, 2009) marks one month until my 26th birthday. In honor of this day, I would like to post a list of what I want for my special day. This is so exciting!
Tarte Cheek Stain in Natural Beauty or Blissful
Leather Bomber Jacket
Leather Bomber Jacket
IPod and speakers
Boots
Boots
Boots
Boots
Yoga mat
Rainboots
Rainboots
Rainboots
Rainboots
Rainboots
Ralph Lauren Blue perfume
Chanel Chance perfume
Boyfriend watch
Boyfriend watch
Boyfriend watch
A trip to Olympus Spa
Spa treatments
Spa treatments
Spa treatments
Microsoft Office for Macs
Fine print: All links are merely ideas of stated items. There is no guarantee that Kelly will actually like what you get. It would be advised to include receipt and abandon your pride.
Tarte Cheek Stain in Natural Beauty or Blissful
Leather Bomber Jacket
Leather Bomber Jacket
IPod and speakers
Boots
Boots
Boots
Boots
Yoga mat
Rainboots
Rainboots
Rainboots
Rainboots
Rainboots
Ralph Lauren Blue perfume
Chanel Chance perfume
Boyfriend watch
Boyfriend watch
Boyfriend watch
A trip to Olympus Spa
Spa treatments
Spa treatments
Spa treatments
Microsoft Office for Macs
Fine print: All links are merely ideas of stated items. There is no guarantee that Kelly will actually like what you get. It would be advised to include receipt and abandon your pride.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Question of the Day
If you could be any flavor of Poptart, which one would you choose and why?
I would most definitely choose to be the s'mores flavor and those of you who know me know why. I fricking love s'mores. I think they are the best edible invention since brownies. I have even perfected making them in the microwave. That's how much I love them.
Speaking of food (and aren't I always speaking of food?), I had an amazingly extravagant dinner last night in Portland, Maine. I intended on going out to eat lobster, but stumbled (via Yelp) instead upon a quaint little restaurant called 555. Little did I know when I arrived (but soon discovered), this place has been notoriously featured in such publications as Travel & Leisure and Wine Spectator. And, damn Gina, it was gooooooood.
Let's start off with the fact that the atmosphere was totally inviting, even to a solo diner like myself. The lighting was dim and accented with candles, the conversation and music was appropriately loud enough, and each table was adorned with fresh flowers (I checked). The service was impeccable. New silverware after every course. Water always replenished. Every time I rose to use the restroom, I came back to find my napkin folded neatly between my fork and my knife. I felt extremely important.
And the food. Oh the food! I began with a glass of Monte Volpe Primo Rosso which is a red blend from Mendocino County, California. Deliciously robust with a fruity, sweet finish. After ordering the "seasonal tasting menu" from my adorable server, I was given a small spoonful of spicy chicken salad with tortilla chips and a grilled caper. (All of this cuisine was superb, so I'm going to spare you the "YUMMY" or "INCREDIBLE" after every course. Just know it was all delectable and heavenly.) My second course was bits of their in-house made foccaccia bread with a lemon chive butter. The bread was moist with just enough sponge and the butter was out-of-this-world. I could have eaten that all night! Third, I received a chipotle-spiked sweet potato soup with firehouse pork and lime sour cream drizzle. Again, this dish was interesting and elaborate, with a good kick and a lot of flavor.
Next came my salad: A beauty of shaved hazelnuts, great hills blue cheese, and a smear of cherry preserves over a bed of chicory and butter lettuces. This was my least favorite of the evening because it was too salty for my palate. It didn't have the sweet taste that could have come from a few dried cranberries or small slices of apple. Still, it was aestically appealing and the lettuce was soft without being limp, yet crisp.
The main course came soon after (at long last!) and I was most excited about this: Their signature dish, the truffled macaroni and cheese with hand-rolled torchio pasta, artisinal cheese sauce, and shaved black summer truffles combined with the most luscious, savory, melt-in-my-mouth amazing butter-poached Maine lobster I've ever had. It was beautifully presented in a small, square-shaped dish with a little lid that sat looking on. The pasta was perfectly cooked, softened just right, and if the cheese sauce was designer, this would have been Dior. The chunks of lobster were ginormous and filling and scrumptious! I can definitely understand why this is their trademark. It is unparalleled in terms of gourmet cuisine.
For dessert, I first had a cheese plate which featured an aged (creamy) sharp cheddar with apple pear compote, spiced nuts, and house-made crostinis. The combination of these ingredients was quite good and I felt like I was in France while eating them. Then, I was delighted to receive my "coffee and donuts" in the form of glazed, holed donuts with chocolate chip coffee ice cream and a rich chocolate dipping sauce (in the cutest little cup I've ever seen). The ice cream was the creamiest, smoothest I've ever tasted - I could have bathed in that shit!
Finally, as a last little treat with the bill, I was given a house-made Oreo cookie which was a sweet and delicious ending to a glorious night. Oh so good!
The dinner was a total of two and a half hours of mind-blowing cuisine. I spent a total of $90 on all eight courses and (OH) was it worth it. Every penny was mouth-watering and divine! Highly recommended for the high rollers!
On a completely separate note, I have discovered that one of my favorite things to do is eat ice cream while watching America's Next Top Model. How ironic. (I love that show. JH says it should be called "America's Next Mediocre Model" due to the fact that no one of substance has ever emerged from Tyra's little reality baby. I agree. But I still love it.) Eating the one of the most fattening foods during this neurotic television show is my way of saying "Eff you!" to the ridiculous restrictions of the modeling and entertainment worlds. And even if no one can see me or witness me pigging out (and "boycotting" in my own way), I still stand (lie) strong: Ice cream is good for you and everyone should be eating it!
I would most definitely choose to be the s'mores flavor and those of you who know me know why. I fricking love s'mores. I think they are the best edible invention since brownies. I have even perfected making them in the microwave. That's how much I love them.
Speaking of food (and aren't I always speaking of food?), I had an amazingly extravagant dinner last night in Portland, Maine. I intended on going out to eat lobster, but stumbled (via Yelp) instead upon a quaint little restaurant called 555. Little did I know when I arrived (but soon discovered), this place has been notoriously featured in such publications as Travel & Leisure and Wine Spectator. And, damn Gina, it was gooooooood.
Let's start off with the fact that the atmosphere was totally inviting, even to a solo diner like myself. The lighting was dim and accented with candles, the conversation and music was appropriately loud enough, and each table was adorned with fresh flowers (I checked). The service was impeccable. New silverware after every course. Water always replenished. Every time I rose to use the restroom, I came back to find my napkin folded neatly between my fork and my knife. I felt extremely important.
And the food. Oh the food! I began with a glass of Monte Volpe Primo Rosso which is a red blend from Mendocino County, California. Deliciously robust with a fruity, sweet finish. After ordering the "seasonal tasting menu" from my adorable server, I was given a small spoonful of spicy chicken salad with tortilla chips and a grilled caper. (All of this cuisine was superb, so I'm going to spare you the "YUMMY" or "INCREDIBLE" after every course. Just know it was all delectable and heavenly.) My second course was bits of their in-house made foccaccia bread with a lemon chive butter. The bread was moist with just enough sponge and the butter was out-of-this-world. I could have eaten that all night! Third, I received a chipotle-spiked sweet potato soup with firehouse pork and lime sour cream drizzle. Again, this dish was interesting and elaborate, with a good kick and a lot of flavor.
Next came my salad: A beauty of shaved hazelnuts, great hills blue cheese, and a smear of cherry preserves over a bed of chicory and butter lettuces. This was my least favorite of the evening because it was too salty for my palate. It didn't have the sweet taste that could have come from a few dried cranberries or small slices of apple. Still, it was aestically appealing and the lettuce was soft without being limp, yet crisp.
The main course came soon after (at long last!) and I was most excited about this: Their signature dish, the truffled macaroni and cheese with hand-rolled torchio pasta, artisinal cheese sauce, and shaved black summer truffles combined with the most luscious, savory, melt-in-my-mouth amazing butter-poached Maine lobster I've ever had. It was beautifully presented in a small, square-shaped dish with a little lid that sat looking on. The pasta was perfectly cooked, softened just right, and if the cheese sauce was designer, this would have been Dior. The chunks of lobster were ginormous and filling and scrumptious! I can definitely understand why this is their trademark. It is unparalleled in terms of gourmet cuisine.
For dessert, I first had a cheese plate which featured an aged (creamy) sharp cheddar with apple pear compote, spiced nuts, and house-made crostinis. The combination of these ingredients was quite good and I felt like I was in France while eating them. Then, I was delighted to receive my "coffee and donuts" in the form of glazed, holed donuts with chocolate chip coffee ice cream and a rich chocolate dipping sauce (in the cutest little cup I've ever seen). The ice cream was the creamiest, smoothest I've ever tasted - I could have bathed in that shit!
Finally, as a last little treat with the bill, I was given a house-made Oreo cookie which was a sweet and delicious ending to a glorious night. Oh so good!
The dinner was a total of two and a half hours of mind-blowing cuisine. I spent a total of $90 on all eight courses and (OH) was it worth it. Every penny was mouth-watering and divine! Highly recommended for the high rollers!
On a completely separate note, I have discovered that one of my favorite things to do is eat ice cream while watching America's Next Top Model. How ironic. (I love that show. JH says it should be called "America's Next Mediocre Model" due to the fact that no one of substance has ever emerged from Tyra's little reality baby. I agree. But I still love it.) Eating the one of the most fattening foods during this neurotic television show is my way of saying "Eff you!" to the ridiculous restrictions of the modeling and entertainment worlds. And even if no one can see me or witness me pigging out (and "boycotting" in my own way), I still stand (lie) strong: Ice cream is good for you and everyone should be eating it!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
I've Got Beef
And I've gotta get it out.
What is all the fuss about Dunkin' Donuts coffee? It is such bad coffee, I can't even tell you. Bleck! All the buzz about it "being so good" is such bullshit and I can't possibly keep silent about it any longer.
I'm in New England and I'm watching people come in with their DD coffee in hand and I'm thinking...do you even KNOW where that shit came from? It's MACHINE COFFEE, people. They don't even have REAL baristas who make REAL espresso...cashiers just push a little button and a disgusting pre-made concoction pours out and people call it good. It's practically from a gas station and it tastes that way, too. Ew! How could you possibly think that's palatable?
OMG. Does this make me a Seattle coffee snob?
Aie!
What is all the fuss about Dunkin' Donuts coffee? It is such bad coffee, I can't even tell you. Bleck! All the buzz about it "being so good" is such bullshit and I can't possibly keep silent about it any longer.
I'm in New England and I'm watching people come in with their DD coffee in hand and I'm thinking...do you even KNOW where that shit came from? It's MACHINE COFFEE, people. They don't even have REAL baristas who make REAL espresso...cashiers just push a little button and a disgusting pre-made concoction pours out and people call it good. It's practically from a gas station and it tastes that way, too. Ew! How could you possibly think that's palatable?
OMG. Does this make me a Seattle coffee snob?
Aie!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Minter: My Dream
I love the name Minter. In fact, I want to change my last name to Minter. Somehow, it just sounds so refreshing: Kelly Anne Minter. Kelly Minter. It's like the combination of "Mint" and "Winter" - so lovely!
I had a crazy travel day on Sunday, but it was all worth it for living in the lap of luxury as I did. (As I always am. Duh.) JH and I woke at 4am to drive to the airport for my 6am flight. (Urgh, I know.) Since we stayed out until 2am the night prior (with Mary Kay Letourneau and her former student/ husband, Vili as our deejay) for a birthday party, I was especially struggling. When I arrived at the airport, I couldn't access my flight information and a service agent had to help me check in. She handed me my boarding pass to get from Seattle to Chicago, but told me that I had to get my other boarding pass from Chicago to Richmond (Virginia) at the gate. Apparently, there was a plane change for my second flight and the seats would be distributed shortly. So I schlepped all of my stuff through security to my gate and asked the attendant for some help. He wasn't able to access the flight either, so he told me I was to get my boarding pass in Chicago. (Sigh.) I wasn't frustrated, just confused.
I "slept" on the flight to Chicago, though with an aisle seat and a flight attendant whose butt was too big (thus it bumped my head every time she walked by) for her job, my "sleep" was spotty at best. We arrived late and as I made my way to the Richmond gate, I saw we were to depart 15 minutes later than scheduled (due to last minute equipment change) and there was quite a long line in front of the empty service desk. I decided to wait for a while since I figured it didn't matter much as I had a confirmed seat on the plane.
As I discovered an hour later, it DID matter much because after standing in line for 20 minutes, I was informed that there were no more seats. Not only did they change planes, but they also downsized which meant that about 8 of us were left at the airport as our flight departed for Virginia. I was one of the few who just rolled with the punches and didn't make a huge fuss about it (as you can imagine, some others were P.I.S.S.E.D. since we were never informed of this problem until about 10 minutes before the plane pulled back from the jet bridge) which worked out in my favor. Here's what happened: As they were trying to accommodate me, I mentioned I could fly to a nearby airport and change my car reservation to drive to Richmond. So as they were booking me on a 4pm flight to Washington Dulles (just out of DC), the gate agent not only gave me a seat on business class (which, as you'll see, was better than any first class I've ever had), but I also scored a free roundtrip ticket to anywhere United flies! Not too shabby for a 6am flight day.
And business class was A-MA-ZING. I'm telling you - the best I've ever had. We flew to Dulles on one of those newfangled planes that have first class "pods" (with full on beds and personal televisions) and business class seats (with reclining chairs and duel televisions). I enjoyed a cheese and fruit plate (plus free bloody mary) with my British seatmate who was all business and no fun, especially when he was eying me as I played with my electric seat-moving devices and television remote control. (What? I had to use everything before deplaning!) Needless to say, I enjoyed that flight immensely.
To make matters even better, when I got to Dulles, I found a luxury rental car to drive...thank you for heated leather seats, electric controls, and a stellar moon roof. Bomb diggity - I'm living the life!
I had a crazy travel day on Sunday, but it was all worth it for living in the lap of luxury as I did. (As I always am. Duh.) JH and I woke at 4am to drive to the airport for my 6am flight. (Urgh, I know.) Since we stayed out until 2am the night prior (with Mary Kay Letourneau and her former student/ husband, Vili as our deejay) for a birthday party, I was especially struggling. When I arrived at the airport, I couldn't access my flight information and a service agent had to help me check in. She handed me my boarding pass to get from Seattle to Chicago, but told me that I had to get my other boarding pass from Chicago to Richmond (Virginia) at the gate. Apparently, there was a plane change for my second flight and the seats would be distributed shortly. So I schlepped all of my stuff through security to my gate and asked the attendant for some help. He wasn't able to access the flight either, so he told me I was to get my boarding pass in Chicago. (Sigh.) I wasn't frustrated, just confused.
I "slept" on the flight to Chicago, though with an aisle seat and a flight attendant whose butt was too big (thus it bumped my head every time she walked by) for her job, my "sleep" was spotty at best. We arrived late and as I made my way to the Richmond gate, I saw we were to depart 15 minutes later than scheduled (due to last minute equipment change) and there was quite a long line in front of the empty service desk. I decided to wait for a while since I figured it didn't matter much as I had a confirmed seat on the plane.
As I discovered an hour later, it DID matter much because after standing in line for 20 minutes, I was informed that there were no more seats. Not only did they change planes, but they also downsized which meant that about 8 of us were left at the airport as our flight departed for Virginia. I was one of the few who just rolled with the punches and didn't make a huge fuss about it (as you can imagine, some others were P.I.S.S.E.D. since we were never informed of this problem until about 10 minutes before the plane pulled back from the jet bridge) which worked out in my favor. Here's what happened: As they were trying to accommodate me, I mentioned I could fly to a nearby airport and change my car reservation to drive to Richmond. So as they were booking me on a 4pm flight to Washington Dulles (just out of DC), the gate agent not only gave me a seat on business class (which, as you'll see, was better than any first class I've ever had), but I also scored a free roundtrip ticket to anywhere United flies! Not too shabby for a 6am flight day.
And business class was A-MA-ZING. I'm telling you - the best I've ever had. We flew to Dulles on one of those newfangled planes that have first class "pods" (with full on beds and personal televisions) and business class seats (with reclining chairs and duel televisions). I enjoyed a cheese and fruit plate (plus free bloody mary) with my British seatmate who was all business and no fun, especially when he was eying me as I played with my electric seat-moving devices and television remote control. (What? I had to use everything before deplaning!) Needless to say, I enjoyed that flight immensely.
To make matters even better, when I got to Dulles, I found a luxury rental car to drive...thank you for heated leather seats, electric controls, and a stellar moon roof. Bomb diggity - I'm living the life!
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