*hey there, it's christa*

Oh the Joys of Organizing (No Sarcasm, I Promise)

When I went to grab a box of tissues from the hall closet (yep, it's been sniffles and coughs all week here), I was pretty smitten by the sight of everything all neat and tidy and in its place.

If you can't tell already, I made a trip to Costco a couple of weeks ago, hence all those paper and cleaning products.

I will admit, however, that I was a little glad that one of the rolls of toilet paper wasn't perfectly in line with the others, though. It was beginning to remind me of Julia Roberts' creepy, absolutely horrible husband in Sleeping With the Enemy.

Remember that movie? It gives me chills just thinking about those canned goods perfectly aligned in the cupboard (even I'm not that perfectionistic, and this is coming from a girl who alphabetizes our stash of DVDs).

I don't know about you, but I love it when January rolls around. Sure, it's cold, a little dreary, and the Christmas tree gets kicked to the curb, but I love getting organized. It makes me feel like I'm paving the way for accomplishing all my other resolutions.

You know the TV show Hoarders? Yeah, I'm pretty much the opposite of those people. Instead of seeing how much stuff I can cram into our home before it's considered a fire hazard, I take particular pleasure in seeing how much can make its way out. Basically, if something doesn't have a designated place or some sort of usefulness (aside from books and movies, of course, but I like paring those down, too), I want it gone.

Incidentally, when I googled to see if there's a name for people like me, it's "OCD" that pops up.

Hmmm. I don't know if I like that label, but there's probably worse ways to procrastinate, right? Incidentally, that's my favorite time to organize—right in the middle of a big ol' deadline. While some writers say their best ideas happen in the shower, mine happen when I get the urge to re-configure the pantry. I guess there's worse things, right? :)

Sniffles, Deadlines and Weddings, Oh My!

Despite my oh-so-lofty aspirations, I've already been a bad blogger this year. And it's only February.

Trust me, I've had good excuses for my lack of productivity here. For one, I blame whatever has shamelessly hi-jacked my immune system. Since ringing in the new year, I've been sick three times. Even as we speak, I'm recovering from a hack that scared a small child at Target the other day.

Yes, a little boy who was probably four or five actually shuddered as I coughed away and asked his mother what was wrong with me. Sad, I know...

But in between all the nose blowing, angry sore throats and feeling like I could sleep for an entire week straight, there's been a lot of positives. I kicked 2013 off with another birthday—and yes, Sprinkles cupcakes were involved (for breakfast, no less).

In early January, I also spent a week in Colorado for my sister's best friend's wedding and got to watch Adelyn dance like nobody's business to "Gettin' Jiggy With It." Absolutely priceless. I also won at blackjack during the bachelorette party beforehand (always fun) and got to spend some great time with my family, too.

During my time in Colorado, my beloved Packers (gasp!) lost to the 49ers in the playoffs, a fact that, no doubt, delighted my California friend Erin Warkentin. Helping to ease the sting considerably, Linds, Shayne and Adelyn joined us for Super Bowl weekend!!!

Not only did we check out the Fort Worth zoo (something I probably would've never done otherwise), shop, and yes, hit up Sprinkles, we watched the game in grand style with Texas staples like fried chicken and homemade chili. Strangely enough, I bought fresh broccoli and cauliflower florets to serve with dill dip, but we just never got around to eating that. Hmmm...

In the midst of the usual deadline craziness, a good "problem" to have when you're a freelancer, any down-time was spent in the company of "Downton Abbey." Once again, I was a little late to the party, but I caught up in a hurry. And now, like the rest of America, I'll have to wait a long, long while to see what happens next, but I'm sure it'll be worth it (fingers crossed, anyway).

Truth be told, one doesn't typically think of winter as the go-to choice for getting married, but I attended my second winter wedding of 2013 last weekend in the MSP area of all places. I must confess that my two-and-a-half years in Texas have turned me into a total wimp because the cold hit me in a way I wasn't anticipating. It wasn't even below zero, and I was shivering beyond belief. But the good news is, the wedding was lovely nonetheless, and my friend and her new hubby are honeymooning somewhere far warmer—Vegas.

Now that I'm back home again and recovering from the latest wave of sickies, I look forward to blogging a bit more consistently. Speaking of which, I'm highly considering a name change (for the blog, not for me, ha ha) For a page that's about a little bit of everything from my perspective, "Hey There, It's Christa" always seemed like a good fit. But I'm ready for something new, so if you have a brilliant idea, feel free to share, and I'll be brainstorming in the meantime...

Until next time,

:) Christa

My Poor, Neglected Little Blog...

I'm listening to French music as I write tonight and am mourning the fact that it's already May 10, and my poor, neglected little blog hasn't gotten any love yet this month.

In my defense, it's been a rather eventful past week, and not in the way that you necessarily want a week to be eventful.

As all my family and Facebook peeps already know, I got a rather unwelcome surprise when I wrapped up my workout last Wednesday. When reaching for my phone like I always do to see if I missed any calls or e-mails while I was sweating away, it was gone. And then after glancing in the backseat to see whether it was accidentally dropped back there, I discovered that my back rear window was smashed, and along with my phone, they ran off with my purse, wallet, sunglasses, lip gloss, you know life's basic essentials.

Naturally, I'm incredibly thankful that I wasn't carjacked or held at gunpoint while they ran off with my valuables. But undoing all they did, especially since they went on a little gas-buying spree with our debit and credit card, took a while. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm now familiar with the entire soft rock canon since that's what hold music tends to consist of.

It's weird how much we've come to rely on technology. I almost felt like my lost phone was a phantom limb or something since I kept reaching for it when it wasn't there. And now that I've replaced my beloved mobile with its younger, hipper sister, all suddenly feels right in the world again. Sad, I know...

On a totally unrelated note, one thing a phone, smart or otherwise, can't do is make your arms long enough to hang black-out curtains in your bedroom. I'm pretty sure I could've won a "funniest home video" contest in my hour-long attempt to hang the silly thing. Let's just say I'm not a DIY girl like my pal Wendy Lee. I'm guessing she could've hung the darn thing in five minutes flat and probably even has her own ladder to make the job easier.

But I am pleased to report that after a long, sweaty battle with the curtain that I finally emerged victorious. While it's not going to score any big points in the style department (I need to procure slightly longer panels next time around), it's definitely darker in our room, so hurrah for that!

It really is the small things in life that matter, right?

Happy (almost) weekend all!

:) Christa

An October to Remember

I can hardly believe there's only two more days in my favorite month of the year, but my, what a fun month it's been! :) So as we bid farewell to this illustrious 10th month, here are a few of my favorite memories...

A pilgrimage to Austin: On October 8, Will and I celebrated six (!!!) years of wedded bliss, so we decided a roadtrip was in order. And since Nashville is just a little too far away for a weekend, we decided that Austin might be perfect, especially with some killer mixtapes playing in the background. It was a little rainy and overcast, a rarity in sun-drenched Texas, but we had such a wonderful time nonetheless. Not only did we stay at a hotel that's supposedly haunted by friendly ghosts, but we sampled some great eats at Bess Bistro, not to mention the life-changing beignets (seriously, they were heavenly bites of sheer deliciousness) at Annie's Café. I'm pretty sure I could've eaten 40 of them...

Plus you can't help loving a city when their motto is all about keeping things weird. And considering we live in the oh-so-corporate DFW, the wide array of truly unique shopping and dining was definitely a nice change from the norm. Yay, Austin!

Celebrating another year of Will: Will has the distinct pleasure of having a birthday and our anniversary in a five-day span, so we always make the most of it (and probably gain a good five pounds in the process). I spent hours and hours slaving in front of a hot stove to whip up an Italian feast of grandeur, namely homemade penne alla vodka, caprese bruschetta and per the birthday boy's request, the decidedly non-Italian dessert of homemade yellow cupcakes with semi-sweet chocolate ganache. Will liked the cupcakes so much that he ate 14 of them (I'm so jealous of his enviable metabolism!). Adding to the meal's overall deliciousness was some incredibly potent prosecco that's apparently one of Mario Batali's favorites. So thank you, Central Market for that.

Remembering why I loved baseball: Little known fact about one Christa Banister: I used to travel with my high school's baseball team as the official statician and absolutely loved every second. Yes, at one time, I actually knew a lot about baseball—the numbers that corresponded with the various positions, all the weirdo terminology like what a sac fly is, not to mention the  difference between a change-up, a slider and a screwball (apparently, it has nothing to do with vodka and orange juice).

I wasn't the best history student on the planet (I thought it was basically b-o-r-i-n-g with a capital "b"), so I needed the extra credit, and since my history teacher was the coach, well, it was a pretty great trade-off. He got his stats, I got a decent grade. Plus, being the boy-crazy girl that I was, I thought the guys were pretty cute in those uniforms (even if they were always spitting sunflower seeds...gross).

Unfortunately, my love of professional baseball has always been pretty non-existent...well, until I started watching the Rangers with Will. Growing up in Texas, he's been a lifelong fan of the team, so the fact they've been to the World Series two years in a row is pretty incredible for him. And seeing a game in Arlington was so much better than watching on TV—well, except for when fly balls headed in our direction. That freaked me out a little—as has the Rangers' World Series run. I wish they'd go ahead and close the deal because games like last night's are incredibly stressful. Guess we'll see what happens tonight since it's Game 7. Chances are, I'll be biting my cuticles.

The return of Coldplay, Feist and Beavis and Butt-head: All worth the wait—especially Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto 

Enjoying a weekend of firsts with my Mom: My Mom and I have actually spent her last two birthdays together, and it's a tradition I'm really digging. This time around, she decided to see what DFW was all about and (gasp!) hopped on a plane to see us. In case you're wondering what the "gasp" is about, it's because she loathes flying, let alone by herself. But I had to give her major kudos,  she put her big-girl pants on and found out it wasn't quite as bad as she thought.

After picking her up from Love Field, we embarked on a weekend filled with firsts. In addition to her first solo flight to Texas, she had her first pedicure, tried her first Thai food and was the first person to sleep in our brand-new bed in the guest room. We also introduced us to the glories of Tex-Mex (Mi Cocina all the way), made sure she saw the Packer game in the land of Cowboy fans, checked out the many culinary treasures of Central Market (guess they get two shout-outs in this post) and introduced her to our favorite preacher, Matt Chandler, at the Village Church.

It was definitely an ambitious way to start her 59th year, but I was so thankful for the time we had. :)

Last but not least: I can't wait for all the cute little Trick or Treaters to stop by on October 31. Wish my darling niece Miss Adelyn Grace (that's her in her much-beloved Cinderella costume) was stopping on by, I'd make sure she got lots and lots of candy.

 

 

 

A Few of My Favorite Things: Spring Edition

I don't know about you, but I've been ready for Spring since, well, February. Now that everything's back in full bloom (and don't my allergies know it—maybe Zyrtec should be on the list) and the birds are singing away, it's done wonders for my mood—even when I'm inside writing away.

Now in celebration of the season before the sweltering heat wave in Texas officially kicks off, here are a few of my favorite things during this oh-so-sunshiney season.

Bossypants by Tina Fey-Just the cover alone makes me laugh. I mean, c'mon, those big ol' arms are hilarious. Thankfully, what's inside certainly doesn't disappoint either. I've laughed and laughed and laughed some more. Once my chuckling even startled the ladies I was sitting to at Starbucks—bonus!

"America's Next Great Restaurant"-Yeah, I'm a sucker for foodie shows, and I gotta say this one has been really fun to watch as the contestants are competing for their own fast-casual chain in the three cities (Minneapolis, L.A. and NYC). Not only are the judges (Bobby Flay, Curtis Stone, restaurant owner Lorena Garcia and Steve Ells, founder of Chipotle) brutally honest with their critiques in such a constructive way, but I love the stories of the people competing for the title—especially Jamawn Woods, who I'm hoping will win with his soul food concept. Considering how tough the job market is right now, it's great to see people who are already doing well investing in the career of someone who might not have the opportunity otherwise.

Salads!!!! I love that tomatoes, basil, arugula and avocados are tasting downright summer-like, so I've been eating salads like nobody's business. Now I can't wait for some great corn on the cob...mmmm.

Benefit's Foamingly Clean Facial Wash-I'm always on the lookout for a great cleanser that's hydrating and won't irritate my dry skin. Well friends, I've finally found my new favorite. Not only does it smell great (I know, it shouldn't matter, but I can't help it) and really live up to its name in the foamy department, but my face feels squeaky clean and moisturized when I'm done. Plus, the bottle is pure cuteness, which is just another bonus.

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain-I read this while I was in Europe and still find myself thinking about it from time to time. It's basically Ernest Hemingway's story from the perspective of his first wife, Hadley, and my, my, my is it a page-turner! Loved the beautiful descriptions of Paris and getting the behind-the-scenes scoop on not only what motivated Hemingway as a writer but what shaped him as a person as well. In the beginning, he was a romantic and then...

Water for Elephants (the movie)-I don't know about you, but I've seen basically one dud after another at the cineplex in 2011. So after sitting through everything from Arthur to Madea's Big Happy Family, I kept my expectations very, very low for Water for Elephants and ended up just loving it. Not only is Rosie the freckled eared-elephant downright adorable, but I loved the movie's decidedly old-timey feel. Plus for anyone who wondered if Robert Pattinson could do anything but brood, I'm happy to report that he can.

Rosemary Clooney-I don't know why, maybe it's because Lauren Graham mentioned her on an episode of "Gilmore Girls" I was watching. But whatever the reason, Rosemary, along with Ella, Billie and Frank, have basically been my soundtrack to Spring.

Now how about you? What's been rockin' your world this Spring, dear readers?

On Thankfulness...

"Thank you, God, for this good life and forgive us if we don't love it enough."—Garrison Keillor

I'll be the first to admit, whenever Garrison starts talking in that oh-so-soothing voice of his about his fictional home in Minnesota's Lake Woebegon, I could probably fall into a sound, sound sleep in a matter of seconds.

But I absolutely love what he said about being thankful, which is particularly apropos considering tomorrow's the big day, no?

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! And here's to being thankful every day of the year—even if turkey, stuffing and a Cowboys VS. Saints game isn't involved.

Ha, ha, ha on the last one, by the way. That was in honor of my Texas family. :)

Can Anyone Tell Me Where September Disappeared To?

Anyone else shocked by the fact that it's already September 30th?

I mean, seriously, where has the time gone?

Now I know that I've been super busy with deadlines per usual, but truth be told, I really don't remember all that much about this particular September.

So to unlock the giant blur in my brain and reassure myself that something productive actually did happen, I consulted my dayplanner (yes, I still like to write it all down rather than type it into my phone) and Twitter account to get the skinny...

Oh yeah, this is what I was doing...

*Saw I'm Still Here, the Joaquin Phoenix documentary (I mean hoax). Before he declared that everything was fake, I was fairly convinced I was watching his complete breakdown. Guess I was wrong. Or naive. Or both.

*Had our new dining room table, chairs and European farm bench delivered from West Elm. Total bliss.

*Reviewed five movies and three (Buried, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps and The Town) were actually really, really good— a nice change of pace from the rest of the year. As for Going the Distance with Drew Barrymore? Well, not so much.

*Reviewed six CDs (the real low point was Maroon 5's latest)

*Wrote four artist bios (mostly Indie, very cool) and several magazine features.

*Watched the Packers, Vikings and Cowboys lose several heartbreaking games collectively. Sigh.

*Indulged in a bit o' pumpkin spice latte therapy, then went to the gym to work off my transgressions.

*Freaked out a little when I saw CHRISTMAS lights at Target.

*Booked a plane ticket to Colorado Springs for my Mom's birthday and to see the rest of the fam including the adorableness that is Adelyn Grace.

*Reconnected with my fab college pals from some good ol' fashioned girl time.

*Attempted to knock down all 100 pins in Wii resort bowling.

*Baked a snickerdoodle coffee cake and chocolate chip muffins (not at the same time) for Will's co-workers.

*Rejoiced that it finally was less sauna-like in Texas. Debuted my UGGs.

*Saw the preview for Katherine Heigl's new film approximately 4,673 times. Yeah, I know it by heart, and that's unfortunate.

*Got a new idea for a novel and actually started working on it.

*Started reading the buzzed-about novel One Day. Yeah, it's worth the hype, and I already can't wait for the movie. Finally finished the scandalous Oprah biography I started in April, plus Lauren Weisberger's latest, Last Night at Chateau Marmont.

*Watched the pilot for the new Keri Russell-Will Arnett sitcom Running Wilde. As much as I love my Felicity (yeah, Keri will always be Felicity to me), I don't think I can stomach another episode.

Ok, I think that's all I've got besides the usual household chores/errands that I won't bother elaborating on... Now that September is nearly out of the way, I can't help wondering what October (my favorite month) will have in store...

Greetings From My New Office...

Well at long last, my home office is finally coming together, so I definitely thought a blog entry was in order...

Can I just tell you that I think I'm going to LOVE working in here? And it's not just because I have a yummy-smelling vanilla cupcake candle burning (you know all the enjoyment with none of the guilt—ha ha).

It's not my St. Paul home office was bad by any means. It was cozy, and because I decided to use all my purses as wall art, I couldn't help but smile as I typed away. But when you live downtown in a building that was once a shoe factory, well, there wasn't much in the way of an actual view. My office didn't have a window (it was really a den, after all), and even when I opened the blinds in the living room, all I ever saw was the side of the Black Dog, the world's worst coffee shop. Not exactly inspiring, in case you wondered.

But in new office, I actually have two great views: One of the sunshine-y outside with all the gorgeous magnolia trees, the other of Will and I's ginormous bookshelf that houses all our favorites from Hemmingway to Hornby. So basically, whatever direction I look now, there's something good to see.

It's still a bit of a work in progress (two bookshelves are in the process of being put together), but Will did finish my new desk this week, and I absolutely love it. Given my disdain for clutter, I'm particularly fond of the pull-out drawer with the special compartments for all my office supplies. And not only is the chair insanely comfortable, but isn't it darn cute to boot?

In case you haven't already figured it out, I'm going with a Parisian theme. After seeing this great pic of the Eiffel Tower, I decided that was the way to go. Plus black, ivory and red are three of my favorite colors, so really, it just all made sense, right? As for the purses, well, they are stowed away in a closet for safekeeping, although I think the Bono bag will probably remain on the door handle. It's not very French, but hey, it's Bono, right? He's got a place in the South of France, so that counts, right?

5 Essentials for Surviving Texas

While I'm not completely new to Southern living since I lived in Nashville for eight years not that long ago, I will confess that living in Texas has been a major shock to my system after four years back in Minneapolis/St. Paul.

For one, I'd forgotten (or simply blocked out) just how hot and sticky the summers are, and for another, I'm still getting used to being called "honey" and "sweetie" by complete strangers all over again.

Of course, the people in Minnesota are known for being nice (hence the expression "Minnesota nice"), but this brand of friendly sometimes catches you off guard—like when your Starbucks barista says "I've got a non-fat iced caramel macchiato for sweetie pie," and you know she means you.

But in my quest for survival in the Big D, I have stumbled upon a few new essentials that have made life downright bearable. So with no further adieu, here are my favorite five items I've only recently learned that I can't live without.

1) Greta, my GPS—Yeah, I know it's a crutch, but have you ever tried driving in a place with a gazillion  three-number freeways and the craziest drivers known to man? Here I'd always thought the Nashville drivers were the nuttiest lot around, but now I know they're downright tame compared to the swerving, turn-signal eschewing, cut-in-front-of-you-with-their-gigantic-pick-up-trucks Texans. But thanks to bossy ol' Greta (yep, I named her), I don't get lost while trying to navigate the Texas highways—a giant relief to say the least.

2)Smashbox Photo Finish primer. Truth be told, foundation and copious amounts of sweat aren't exactly bosom buddies. And while I'd love to be one of those au naturel, makeup free beauties, I just don't feel quite "ready" without it. So what's a girl to do when the dewy look has gone seriously greasy? Well, I gave the Smashbox Photo Finish primer a try, and low and behold, my face doesn't look all nasty when I'm out in all that hot sunshine. It keeps everything in place and is weightless to boot—what's not to love?

3)Garnier Fructus smoothing serum. It's cheap and keeps my frizzies at bay. 'Nuff said.

4)Magazine subscriptions. When you're getting your house all organized and are still working, working, working, there's not much time for reading books (as sad as that is). But magazines? That's another story. You can flip your way through (and read a few articles) in no time at all. So thank you Real Simple, Food Network Magazine, In Style and Entertainment Weekly for keeping me informed without taking much time at all.

5)Super Target—Oh how I love thee, I can't even begin to count the ways. In addition to having yummy produce and the roasted red pepper hummus I like, you've got everything else I need, too (lightbulbs, Advil, throw pillows, cheap dishes when your movers have broken most of yours) all in one handy place—genius.

Confessions of a Reality TV Novice

Truth be told, I've never been much for reality TV (I know, I know quelle horror!).

Unlike the majority of my fellow Americans, I've never watched a full episode of "Survivor," "The Hills" or even "The Amazing Race."

And the one time I tried watching "Dancing With the Stars," well, that sure wasn't pretty. For me, the pure cheese factor was sooo off to charts that I simply had to change the channel to keep my sanity intact. And I'm guessing a perfect ballroom display by some D-list celebrity isn't about to change my mind any time soon.

Since I'm in full-on confession mode, I'll even admit that my knowledge of what's happening on "American Idol" pretty much comes straight from Entertainment Weekly. I think the last time I sat through an entire episode was when Kelly Clarkson won, which tells you something right there.

Like everyone else, even I have my weaknesses. Thanks to my sister Lindsey, I was recently introduced to the guiltiest of guilty pleasures—"The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette." Yeah, I know, if I can't sit through Idol, how I could I possibly sit through that?

I think I liked it for the same reason that people often gawk at car accidents. I just couldn't tear my eyes away from the trainwreck. I mean, how weird and ridiculous is it for someone to even attempt to find true love that way? I mean, don't these guys/girls feel a little skeevy when they make out with half of the contestants?

After a few episodes, even I have my threshold, and thanks to the oh-so-witty recaps on Entertainment Weekly's website that are often more fun than actually watching, I'm not entirely devoted yet. After all, there's only so many hot-tub dates a person can sit through without feeling a little ill.

But given my disdain for most reality TV, there is one show that I never, never miss, even in the craziness that's been this summer: The Next Food Network Star. Anyone who knows me well already knows how much I love watching Giada, Ina, Paula and Rachael (yeah, I'd like to think we're on a first-name basis...ha ha), so there's nothing more fun than seeing a bunch of foodies compete (and the challenges are nothing but over-the-top) for a new show on the network.

In fact, I even christened my DVR (yep, I'm finally on the wagon, and yes, it's changed my life) by programming "The Next Food Network Star" in, knowing full well that I'd be watching right when it aired. But I guess in case of meteorites or some other natural disaster, I wanted to make sure I'd see it. Although I'm guessing if meteorites really did hit, that would probably affect the DVR too, but I digress.

For once, I actually like the frontrunner in the competition, too, Ms. Aarti Party herself. Not only does she have some serious culinary chops (and when Bobby Flay and the rest of the Iron Chefs want to open an Indian restaurant with you pronto, that pretty much seals the deal), but I know I'd love watching her show—even if I probably wouldn't attempt making any of the dishes (I always leave Indian food to the experts).

So it pretty much goes without saying that given my love of the show, I seriously can't wait for the finale tonight. While I wouldn't be sad if Tom the Sheep Dog (a.k.a. "Big Chef) won, I think it's going to be Aarti's big night, and I already can't wait for the party to begin...

Spoken like a real addict, huh?

Ok, now I want to hear from you. What reality TV shows are must-watches for you (and why)? And now that I have DVR, is there anything I should be adding to the queue pronto?