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Archive for August, 2011

you don’t gnome me

Monday, August 29th, 2011

Here’s a confession. I love gnomes. Have since I was wee. I blame my grandmother’s garden gnomes for my gnome affections. Hers lived on the deck rather than in a garden, but were adorable and charming all the same. The picture of those wee gnomes is firmly embedded in my memory. I’ve tried to find gnomes that fit that memory, but have been unable. I’ve found some cuties, though. They lived in the garden at our old place. Since we have no garden these days, they shall live on our windowsills, and hang out in corners ready to make mischief. I am always on the lookout for more gnomes to join the family. A few years ago, G’s aunt gave me a copy of this book, which I checked out of the library countless times as a kid, studying up about gnomes in case I encountered one in the wild. It was out of print at the time, so it was an especially thrilling gift! I have long been lusting after this guy and his friends. However, I am saving up my nickels for the designers ghost chair first.
One of my other, not-so-secret loves is a good cocktail. Particularly, a dry martini. This is not to be confused with those things that pass for martinis these days, all vodka and olives and cocktail shakers. Bombay Sapphire with a whisper of vermouth. Carefully stirred fifty times, and strained into a chilled martini glass. The martini glass must have a stem as to not mar the taste with the heat from one’s hand. However, I love a good old timey cocktail. The kind that folks made at old-timey cocktail parties where the hostess would wear a cocktail apron and serve hors d’oeuvres from the Betty Crocker cookbook. The kind that tastes best with freshly squeezed juices of lemons and limes. The kind of fresh squeezed juice that tastes just fine when squeezed from any old juicer, but would taste even better from the perfect juicer. The perfect juicer for which I have been hunting. I have been keeping my eyes peeled for a preferably vintage piece, hip but nostalgic at the same time. I keep coming up empty. Until today.
I casually read through my favorite blogs, getting to the decorating blogs last. I hit Apartment Therapy. I scrolled through. I saw gnomes. I saw the stool. I saw the book. I saw several other adorable-yet-run-of-the-mill gnome knick knacks. I saw this. Perfect for all my juicing (and jewelry??) needs.
If you were wondering, I have a birthday coming up. I love gnomes, and I love cocktails. Maybe in that order.