Week Four: Roller Derby

This Saturday I attended my first Cincinnati Roller Girls game at Cincinnati Gardens. I went with two of my old-school friends and we had an absolute blast.

For $10 we were able to see both the junior varsity team The Silent Lambs vs. The St. Lunachix and the varsity team The Black Sheep vs. the ARRG All Stars.

Roller Derby is an amateur sport, and the players are owners and operators of the their teams. While we were waiting in line to get tickets, several roller girls were mingling with the fans and signing autographs.

Before going I did some research into the rules of the game. There are basically 3 types of skaters: pivots, blockers and jammers. The helmets of the pivots have stripes, and the helmets of the jammers have stars. The jammer starts a few seconds behind the pack and must get through the blockers and pivots in order to score. It's a full contact sport and very exciting to watch. All the players have crazy names like "Hannah Ouchocinco" and "Cherry Choke."

I was made aware of this phenomenon thanks to friends I follow on Twitter and Facebook. I also participated in my first tailgate and "Tweetup" thanks to @Mojojacob.

The next home game for the Cincinnati Rollergirls is May 8th and I will most certainly be in attendance.

Week Three: Homemade Soap

I'm lucky to have a friend in the soap business. This weekend she invited me to her charming house for a "Mischief, Mayhem, Soap" party.

Each soap was simple, beautiful and decadently scented. She offered several varieties including Lavender w/ Salt, Green Tea, Rosewater, Calendula, and several types of shaving pucks. It was hard to choose a favorite, and I ended up walking away with six bars!

I'm thankful for the Handmade Crafting/Do-It-Yourself Movement. I love the idea of art created for and by the masses as a part-time hobby. An everyday object such as a bar of soap becomes extraordinary simply because it's homemade. Many do-it-yourself artisans live the dual life of an 8 - 5 office worker by weekday/crafter by weekend. For me, crafting is a great way to balance the benefits of life in the rat race (the pay, health insurance, etc) with my artistic, creative sensibilities.

This weekend, I also attended a housewarming party of a co-worker. She mentioned that there would be a fire pit, so I made vegan S'mores mini-cupcakes for the occasion.

These cupcakes involved several steps, including cutting and dipping individual graham cracker squares into melted chocolate and letting them cool. It was quite a production, but I loved how they turned out decoratively. The extra effort was worth it, as they were both adorable and delicious.

Andrew kept me company in the kitchen during this process. He helped by taste-testing after each step. He also decorated his own cupcakes for the first time!

Week Two: Krohn Conservatory

I must admit I've resided about two blocks away from the Krohn Conservatory for the past seven years and have probably visited it twice.

This is because I'm normally tethered to two dogs that tug me along as they trounce and sniff through Eden Park. Since dogs aren't allowed to enter the Krohn, we usually just cut through the parking lot and weave our way past its visitors as quickly as possible. Since the trees and daffodils are in bloom I decided this would be a good time to visit.

It was amazing. I'd forgotten that you can wind through a tropical rain forest and see luscious foliage juxtaposed against the 1930s Art Deco glass and aluminum.

I felt like I was on The Island from Lost (which was delightful!) It was hot, tropically and awe inspiring. I spent about an hour and then walked home. Did I mention it's free and has WiFi?

Walking through the park sans pooch was a surprisingly pleasant experience. I didn't have to pick up any poop, which was great...but I was also able to see and hear things that I haven't before. I was able to hear the rustling of a snake beneath some dead leaves. He was camera shy and moved too fast for me to take his picture.

This Sunday was Easter. And though this has nothing to do with the Krohn Conservatory, I have to share my Easter craft. I like to mark all holidays with some kind of cutesy craftiness.

I made vegan chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting. I dyed the frosting in different pastel colors and placed a chocolate bunny graham on each one. They were delicious, I was able to take some to a friend's house and Andrew and I ate the rest.

Everyone loves owls

Slipcover Your Life’s Stitchery Giveaway!

I just discovered this delightful blog called My Owl Barn that showcases all things Owl related. They are giving away this little craft kit from the Etsy store Slipcover Your Life's Stitchery.

Weekend Plans:

Today we're planning on hiking the trails at the Cincinnati Nature Center. I've heard the wildflowers are blooming. I have mountains of laundry to do, and a guest bedroom that needs painting, but I just can't stay inside on this wonderful day.

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday, and I have plans to attend lunch with Andrew's grandpa and his driver Beverly. Easter should not come to pass without some kind of craft or cute food. I'm working on some ideas now, and hope to have an activity planned for tomorrow.

Week One: Sundays

I love Sundays.

Sundays allow me to pack in several activities I love into one day.

Breakfast.

This Sunday, I made a big breakfast of Tofu Scramble, toast and vegan sausage.

My mom always made a big breakfast on Sundays when I was growing up. We would eat while we listened to classical music on WEBN. I suppose that's where I get the idea that big breakfasts should be eaten on Sundays. It's also the only day of the week I drink orange juice. I only love orange juice with a big breakfast.

Andrew.

Sundays are also usually one of the few days I get to spend time with my husband Andrew. Andrew can usually be found out Serif Sound. This is the venue where we spent lots of time together when we first started dating. I don't make it down there too often anymore. But when I do go, I'm always impressed with his cool stuff.

This AMPEX tape machine looks like it's smiling at me:

The studio was built in the 1970s and is full of shag carpeting. I find the orange shag carpeting delightful.

Olivet & Meynard.

Finally, I love to hang out with my dogs, Olivet & Meynard. Sometimes we go to the park, sometimes we stay at home and nap. As you can see they are pretty much up for anything.

Une Nouvelle Joie de Vivre

I love to complain. I'm a natural critic and pessimist. To me, the glass is half empty, out of style and well...you get the picture. I don't know when I began complaining, but I've been using it to get laughs ever since I can remember. Quick wit and noting the flaws in everything have been my joie de vivre for quite some time now.

I'm using this blog to flip the script on the way I see the world around me. This venue will focus on things I find delightful and enjoyable; things I love and for which I am grateful. I'm not sure where this will take me, but life is all about the journey right?

One delight-filled post will occur weekly for the next year.