However my first purchase wasn’t from a fancy gallery show, but from an Easter Seals silent auction in 2002. Each year the students at the Easter Seals Arkansas center held a big art show featuring work created by the kids. Myself and another magazine coworker were invited to be judges for the show.

Anyway, the kids’ art was also up for auction to raise money, so I bid on a few things and won the above mixed-media piece that reminds me of all the fun I had with my little paint-spinner thing when I was a kid. It’s now hanging in a little nook between two light switches, in our oddly-shaped, pod-like hallway.

In the early days of the magazine I worked for, some new titles were launched, including At Home in New Orleans. There was a huge launch party, complete with people arriving in stretch Hummers (*gag*) and Robin Leach as the event’s host. Yeah, that Robin Leach. I didn’t go, as it was just for the top of the masthead, but we all got to see the unintentionally hilarious DVD chronicling the night. And I think we can agree it all pretty much went down hill from there.

However, the best thing to come out of the whole flustercluck were the great launch party posters designed by the senior designer at the time, Amy (Colclasure) Vaughn. Entitled Voodoo House, I love the color scheme and the Beetlejuice-esque house. She couldn’t believe the first time she saw it hanging in the kitchen of our old house, but she’s a phenomenal illustrator and I just love this. And it also looked fabulous in that orange kitchen!

We acquired the above painting under unfortunate circumstances—after my father-in-law’s sudden death in August 2005…just a month-and-a-half before Matt and I were to be married. The artist, John Deering, has been a political cartoonist for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (and before when it was just the Arkansas Democrat) for many years, and his work is loved by many. He and my father-in-law were pals, and besides the above painting, Deering often created sketches and cards and such for Jerry’s birthday or when he was in the hospital many years ago, really setting a high standard for the typical office card.

Not only a gifted artist, Deering is a great guy all around. Last fall he donated several original and limited-edition editorial cartoons for a silent auction I was coordinating for IABC/Arkansas. Even better, I managed to outbid a few folks and acquire a couple more of his works, although they’ve yet to be framed. But this particular painting will always be a favorite, as it truly speaks to my father-in-law’s love for blues and jazz.

Because we’re taking this tour chronologically, the next work of Arkansas art features yours truly; but that’s not why it’s a work of art (although my dress does look fabulous, right?). No, it’s a work of art because it was shot by Nancy Nolan. Nancy is one of the single most wonderful people I have had the privilege of calling a friend, as well as a colleague. Having shot everything local to everything national (New York Times, WWD, Saks, etc.), Nancy is, really, our Annie Liebovitz. The woman is a genius behind the lens, and her level of creativity knows no bounds.

So for Fancy Nancy to shoot my bridal portrait as a wedding gift was such a thrill, and such an honor. Playing around on a tire swing in her front yard in my wedding dress on a pretty fall day was one of the best days ever.

This was my first official big-girl art purchase. I first saw the painting, C. Flower 2 by Ashely Saer, on the invitation to her latest show at Tobi Fairley Gallery in the fall of 2006. As soon as the colorful card came across my desk, I was transfixed with the trio of bouquet oil paintings, but particularly this one. The abstract blooms, the varied hues of my favorite color, and the vase. Especially the vase. We had only been in the new house for a few months, but I had already painted the hall/pod this fun blue (Enchantment by Behr, Home Depot, by the way), and when I saw this painting, with a vase that was virtually the exact same color as the pod walls, I knew it would be mine. I’d long-admired her work, and this was the perfect piece to start a collection with. The color combo and the textural blooms make me happy every time I look at it.

But I didn’t stop there. I also picked up Love Birds, which was completed during the time Saer spent working in France. I thought it was a beautiful way to celebrate our new home and our first anniversary, and I love the unexpected, old-school date stamp in the left corner.

I’d also admired the colorful Kabob series, and decided I had to have Tiny Kabob Rows too. And despite loving the other two paintings, my anti-abstract husband said, “I could do that.” My response? “Then do it.” He’s a graphic artist himself, but so far these are the only colorful kebob watercolors we have hanging on our living room wall.

And finally, the two most recent additions to the pod gallery, which is ideal for small pieces. By local fashion legend and all-around cool person Connie Fails, the paintings, with their chaotic brushstrokes, are diminutive depictions of Hurricane Katrina’s wrath. The top painting is titled simply Nola, the bottom, Shotgun in the Storm. I found both last fall at Local Colour Gallery.

More canine silliness, thanks to the unexpected snow storm we woke up to today!

Snow in central Arkansas is a rarity at best, maybe once or twice a year we get a little “wintry mix” of sleet and snow. And despite the fact that last week it was almost 70 degrees, all week there has been talk of a WINTER STORM WATCH. And so today we woke up to sleet showers and freezing-cold wind. Global warming much?

By this afternoon the showers had tapered off and we took the dogs out to play. Bailey (the big goofy one) and Céilí (the little princess) are both 9-years-old; we’ve had her since she was a puppy, and adopted Bailey when he was around 2. They’re our babies, our precious little children, and they are completely spoiled rotten. And they’re also tons of fun—as evidenced here.

And now, after all the yucky sleet, it’s finally snowing tonight. Not supposed to last very long, but hopefully in the morning we’ll have a little more snow to play in, and more videos to share.

So I was very excited to get to try out my little Root Awakening set, which included the Nourishing Moisture shampoo and conditioner for dry hair, as well as the Health Boosting detangling spray for all hair types. The products are infused with natural Eucalyptus, which helps “hydrate the scalp and nourish hair from roots to ends…for increased shine, bounce and manageability.”

I for one can attest that those claims are indeed true. The first time I tried the products was on a Friday, and I was immediately impressed. Not only did the shampoo and conditioner smell fantastic, my hair was noticeably softer and shinier after just one use. Even better, it stayed this way all weekend, and was delightfully frizz- and static-free, despite the cold weather and hats and scarves coming in contact with my hair. And the detangling spray is super lightweight; it left my hair completely residue free, another issue I’ve always encountered, thanks to my thin fine locks.

Alternating the Root Awakening shampoo and conditioner with my Aveda over the past few weeks has really helped prolong the pretty in my hair, keeping it soft and easy to style. I’ve always been a fan of using two different sets of shampoo and conditioner, and this will likely stay in the rotation for a while. Thanks Ideeli!

My husband Matt and I have had our own home-alone Thanksgiving for at least seven of the 10 years we’ve been together. His (crazy) family is out west, and my (crazy) family is nearby. So after a couple of Thanksgivings with mine, we decided to do our own thing, partly because that was around the time I really got into cooking and we turned into Food Network junkies and Gourmet magazine subscribers. And yes, although I love them dearly, also partly because they’re completely exhausting (except grandma) and Christmas is only a freakin’ month away.

So instead of a long stressful day, it’s leisurely and fun, just cooking and hanging out, watching the parade and football, and poring over the Completely Ginormous Thanksgiving Newspaper and its endless supply of Black Friday ads and mini-catalogs. Even though we have absolutely no intention of getting close to a mall. (Except a couple of years ago when we braved the big electronics stores and got our big fabulous flat screen for a song)

Anyway, I make breakfast, usually homemade blueberry scones or these yummy sausage and cheese rolls that are insanely delicious. But this year, because Matt has an addiction…

…Williams-Sonoma’s quick bread. Particularly the spiced pecan pumpkin variety. It’s so damn good; so good that he’ll bake it himself, and that is particularly delightful. After breakfast and newspaper and all that, we get finally get to business. This year’s it’s the “not too many damn sides” version of our traditional menu—brined and roasted turkey, chestnut, pancetta and ciabatta dressing, two casseroles and some bread. The turkey and dressing are obviously the stars of the show, and the recipes we’ve tweaked over the years are after the jump. Enjoy!

The fun starts the night before when we brine the turkey. It’s the key to an amazingly juicy bird the next day.

The Brine

1 cup kosher salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 oranges, quartered
2 lemons, quartered
4 sprigs (or handfuls, whichever) thyme
4 sprigs (same here) rosemary

Dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water in a large stock pot. Gently place turkey in brining bag (we use the ones from Williams Sonoma), and pour in the brine solution. Add the oranges, lemons (not peaches) and herbs, close up the bag, and stick it in the fridge. Brine for at least 12 hours, but no more than 24.

When you’re ready to cook, remove the turkey from the brine and toss the bag and its contents. I highly recommend draining as much of the liquid from the bag before attempting to remove the turkey. I cannot stress this enough, as you do not want to wear it, aromatic though it may be. Remove everything that’s inside the turkey, and rinse inside and out under cold water. Pat it dry.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

The Bird

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temp.)
1 medium yellow onion, cut into 8ths
2 large oranges, cut into 8ths
1 stalk celery, large dice
1 large carrot, large dice
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme
2 cups chicken broth, for basting

Place turkey breast side down in a big, heavy roasting pan, and rub on all sides with the butter. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Stuff the turkey with the onion, oranges, celery, carrot, bay leaves, and thyme. Tie the drumsticks together with kitchen string, or don’t. I don’t.  Also, this recipe originally called for a ton more aromatics than I’ve listed here, but trust me, this works beautifully for a 12-14 pound turkey. If you’ve got Super Turkey, adjust as necessary.

Roast the turkey breast-side down for an hour. Remove from the oven, turn, and baste with 1/2 cup broth.

After years of practice, we’ve determined the easiest way to do this is not with a contraption of wooden spoons and quickness, but by simply putting on some oven mitts, picking the thing up and turning it over. (It’s also helpful if your spouse or significant other has no feeling in one hand because his sister slammed it in a car door as a child, making it much easier for touching hot things from the oven) Promptly throw the oven mitts into the laundry pile after you do this. Undercooked bird and all, right?

Roast breast side up until an instant-read meat thermometer hits 165 degrees F when inserted into the largest section of thigh and away from the bone, about 2 to 3 hours total cooking time. Baste the turkey once every hour with 1/2 cup of chicken broth.

Remove from the oven and place on a platter. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Chestnut, Pancetta & Ciabatta Dressing

Crank oven up to 350 degrees F.

The original calls for a 15×12x2 baking dish, but that’s really not big enough. Personally I like the aluminum roaster pans from the grocery store, they’re deeper and I think the dressing bakes better.

6 tablespoons butter
8 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 large onions, small dice
2 carrots, small dice
3 celery stalks, small dice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
3 garlic cloves, chopped (Or just use the stuff in the jar. I swear by it. )
2 med. jars roasted peeled whole chestnuts, coarsely broken (I use two of the big jars from Williams-Sonoma)
1 1/4  pound day-old ciabatta bread, torn into small cubes
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan (Use the real stuff here, not the canned variety.)
1-1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper
2 large eggs, beaten to blend

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a big skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until nice and crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Melt the rest of the butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary and garlic. Saute until the onions are tender, about 12 minutes. Stir in the chestnuts. Transfer the onion mixture to the bowl with the pancetta. Add the bread and Parmesan and gently stir to coat. Add enough broth to moisten the stuffing. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix in the eggs.

Transfer the dressing to whatever you’ve chosen to bake it in. Cover with foil and bake until the heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.

While I handle the dressing and tend to basting the turkey and drinking and what not, my husband is in charge of his two favorite Thanksgiving staples: broccoli, rice and cheese casserole, and green bean casserole.

Broccoli, Cheese & Rice Casserole

1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup instant rice
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
10-ounce package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1/2 cup diced Velveeta

Bring water and salt to a boil.  Add rice, cover and remove from heat. Let rice sit for 5 minutes. Melt butter in skillet and saute onion and celery until tender. In a large bowl, combine rice, celery, and onion with remaining ingredients. Pour into a greased 1 1/2 qt. casserole. Bake at 350 degrees F for an hour.

Green Bean Casserole

1  can condensed cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup milk
1/8  teaspoon pepper
2  cans French style green beans, drained
1-1/3  cups French-fried onions

Combine soup, milk and pepper in a 1-1/2 quart casserole and mix well. Stir in beans and 2/3 cup French-fried onions. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Stir, then sprinkle with the rest of the onions. Bake 5 minutes or until onions are golden.

While I love the broccoli-cheese concoction (it’s even better cold the next day), I have never loved anyone’s version of this green bean business. Ever since I was a kid, my only concern with this dish was absconding with the rest of the French-fried onions. They’re so wrong, yet oh so right.

But mostly I’m happy to have his help in the kitchen. By the time the Parker House Rolls (thanks Sister Schubert! I totally didn’t want to make the foccacia bread from scratch this year like I usually do!) come out of the oven and we’re ready to eat, Matt’s helped me clean the kitchen so we don’t have to drunkenly deal with dishes and a big ol’ mess after dinner. He’s also highly skilled in the leftover packaging department, which is excellent, because if it were left up to me, you would not have beautifully sliced turkey readily available for next-day sandwiches.

I love that we have this whole day that’s our own way of celebrating the season, our own take on tradition. We do the wishbone thing (and he always wins). The dogs are out of their minds because they know they’re totally gonna get some turkey. We actually eat at the dining table. Sometimes we eat at 5, sometimes we eat at 9. We usually drink too much wine. But we have the best day, and that is what I’m truly thankful for.

What do you want to see more of? Less of? Suggestions are always appreciated!

xoxo Mel

However. I need to address the celebrity home furnishings designer thing. Particularly Jane Seymour. So I spent a good month looking high and low for pillows for the sexy new leather sofa the husband and I bought in August. And so one night when I was clearly really drunk, I hit up sears.com to scroll through their pillow offerings. (Because you just never know, right? Yeah, you do. But you go look anyway.) It was there I discovered Dr. Quinn’s collection of “art pillows,” a tragedy of embroidered silk and an insult to flowers everywhere.

Apparently, “When not acting, writing or designing Jane Seymour enjoys painting in her Art Studio overlooking the beaches of Malibu, California.” Her proper noun art studio. That’s great. I like to paint too, but I would never inflict it upon anyone publicly. But for just $80 each, you can have a bad ’80s adaptation of a red rose or and African violet, or a disproportionate Star Gazer lily. Although I kinda like the Gingersnap rose graphic, it’s still not enough. And totally not $80 enough.

Instead, I’m awaiting the arrival of my yellow and gray peony print pillows from DwellStudio’s Target line. Subtle, graphic modern silk pillows, $53 delivered. Take that, Jane.

An hour-and-a-half ago I thought this blog was gone. Major fail during the 2.8.3 upgrade. (I’m looking at you, fatcow.)

It’s a long dramatic story, of course, but I’ll spare you the details, except that I figured it out all by my clever little self. Aside from the part where your design and a few pictures don’t show up.

Please bear with me while home girl gets a little work done!

On my third trip to Chicago a few weeks ago, I was finally able to actually do a few things, like visiting a couple of museums, shopping and basically wandering where I pleased. The first time I went to Chicago I didn’t even see the Sears Tower, but this time I was able to visit. Sadly, the day before, they officially changed the name to the Willis Tower. However, the main attraction wasn’t the shiny new sign, it was visiting the Skydeck and, more importantly, stepping out onto one of the newly opened Skydeck Ledge viewing platforms.

But anyway, the newly christened Willis Tower. Which might actually become the common name for the building in, say, 100 years. Maybe.

But back to the Skydeck. Located on the 103 floor of the 110-story Sears Tower, the enormous space offers views of Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and of course, Chicago and other parts of Illinois. If you read all of the signs and displays, you’d know what state you’re looking at; I just wandered around the massive crowd and took pictures.

I know the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is about Lake Superior, but that’s all I can think of when I see this monstrous 22,400-square mile body of water. That and, “Damn, now that’s a lake.”

I will admit that I first stepped out onto one of the four Skydeck Ledge platforms with some trepidation, mostly I think because they were so crowded. But the view, obviously, is phenomenal. Extending 4.3 feet over the city below, these tempered-glass and steel boxes weigh 1,500 pounds each and retract into the building for cleaning and maintenance.

The viewing platforms consist of half-inch thick glass laminated into one seamless unit, allowing for unparalleled views from almost every angle.

I don’t normally post photos of myself here, if I have at all, but here’s a fun pic with my giant head floating around Lake Michigan.

What people wear when they travel fascinates me, especially those who overdress. My personal favorite is the two women at DCA, 6:30 in the morning, raising hell at the check-in counter. Coordinated variations of animal prints, gold leather, loads of jewelry and crazy ass shoes. Hair, perfect. Makeup, lots. And they were pretty! But why would you do that to yourself, at such an ungodly hour? What time did you get up?

I think we all know there’s a fine line between attractive, comfortable travel wear and well, looking like a hooker (when you are not). You really can be sensible and chic without looking like a slob. But if you can actually travel in those heels, I salute you.

I mostly travel in jeans, cute and comfy shoes, a simple shirt and sunglasses. For a flight to Chicago earlier this week, I paired wide-leg, dark wash Gap jeans (#42) with a classic men’s v-neck Hanes white t-shirt (#67). I love men’s Hanes tees; my husband is a crew-neck guy and although I borrow his for lounging, I’m a v-neck girl and buy them a size bigger than I need, double wash to shrink, and they’re perfect. They’re great for travel because they’re longer than other tees, and thicker than my other faves from the Gap. They look cute with a cool scarf or a cute jacket. Also, they’re cheap.  And for this direct, hour-and-a-half jaunt, the Rocket Dog ballet flats (#5) that I have had for a millions years were the perfect choice of footwear.

As for accessories, I don’t like to be too loaded down in the airport. If I’m traveling I typically switch to a smallish cross-body number like my nylon and leather Prada messenger bag, which holds everything I need easy access to—like my iPhone. I know Nina G. puts her Blackberry at #9, but my Top 10-worthy gadget is my precious iPhone 3G. It keeps me connected without having to pay ridiculous fees for an hour of WiFi on the laptop. Sunglasses—something I’ve found myself collecting in recent years—are also a must, and lately I’ve been rocking my D&G aviators (#4) with a vengeance. I got them for song at Filene’s Basement in DC last year, and they’re the perfect size for my round little face.

As for a carry on, I love my big ol’ L.L. Bean tote (#50), although as I sit here at gate G6B in O’Hare writing this, it is definitely a hell of a lot heavier now for the trip home than it was coming up here. But it’s strong and sturdy enough to hold all my crap, even if it does make me a little off balance and cranky. Of course, the orange accents on the bag, along with the cute grass-green Max Studio dress I’m wearing for the flight home, hopefully make me appear a little more cheerful than I actually am!

And while we’re on the subject of travel, a note on luggage (#51). I’m afraid this might be the last trip my trusty red United Colors of Benetton suitcase can make. I’ve had it for a very long time, and it’s literally falling apart at the seams! It’s the perfect size for a 4 to 5 day trip; the enormous bag I bought last year for a two-week journey to Central Asia is simply too large for the trips I typically take. I’ve begun looking for something new, and aside from the fantasy of a custom set of Goyard luggage, I haven’t the slightest idea where to begin. Do I want to switch to a different style, something a bit bigger, perhaps a rolling duffel? Don’t laugh if you see me in an airport with duct tape holding my little red suitcase together, I may not be able to give it up so soon!