Merry Christmas to All!

Wishing all of you a merry and bright holiday season.

XOXO,
Merry Wife

You're Gonna Make it After All

Thank you to everyone who commented on Sunday's neurotic post. Yesterday evening, I got the call from my recruiter that I got the job. Since I didn't have a beret handy, I settled for giving the Merry Husband a high five as he ran down the staircase to congratulate me.

It's been over four months since I left my job, and although I desperately needed this break, it feels good to be heading back to work. I start on Tuesday, the day after I get back from a long weekend in L.A. to celebrate my sister's 40th birthday.

This is a contractor gig, so while the pay will be more than I'm used to, I'll only be there a few months. After that, I start this whole process over again. But I am happy that I will start the new year gainfully employed. For those keeping score at home, Goal #38 has been crossed off the list.

Lament of the (Would Be) Working Girl

I used to work for a woman who loved to interview for new jobs. After a bad day at the office, she'd go home, fire up her laptop, and send her resume out to her broad network of contacts. She thrived in new environments, and her enthusiasm invariably dazzled her interviewers. Every couple of years, she moved on to a new job and new challenges. Just last week, she packed up and moved from Southern California to Alaska. She is fearless.

I, on the other hand, break out in a cold sweat at the mere mention of CareerBuilder. So you can imagine my terror when I was asked to come in for an interview on Friday, my first in over 10 years. In the days leading up, I worried myself into red, bumpy, painful hives that covered my neck (not a good look). At night, I dreamed about everything that could go wrong - getting lost on the way, flubbing interview questions, and (worst of all) realizing just as I was shaking hands with my potential colleagues that I was wearing faded jeans and a sloppy shirt.

This last subconscious worry seemed about to become a reality as I scoured my local malls for an Interview Suit. When I graduated from law school way back in 2001, you could cruise into any Ann Taylor and pick up a navy or gray skirt suit in acetate or viscose. Pair it with a cream-colored polyester shell, throw on some sensible black heels, a good watch, and some pearl studs, and you were done. Incidentally, we were instructed by Career Services to avoid black (too severe) and pants suits (unprofessional). It went without saying that we were to wear pantyhose, preferably Donna Karan. To paraphrase Melanie Griffith's Tess, you wanna be taken seriously, you need a serious suit.

Now admittedly, the Interview Suit was no one's favorite article of clothing. As soon as you signed your offer letter, the Interview Suit retreated to the dark recesses of your closet. Perhaps you wore its sibling on your first day or pulled it out occasionally for important meetings, but soon enough, business casual reigned triumphant. Eventually, your whole look devolved until, by the end, you were wearing flip-flops on Fridays. No? Okay, I guess it was just our office then.

So while I'm glad that many of us no longer have to wear suits on a daily basis, I was irritated when I realized that Brooks Brothers (of all places) does not stock navy or gray skirt suits. The saleswoman even called into the warehouse for me. Zip, zilch, nada. I made my way over to J Crew, where a salesman told me that the store had recently stopped stocking suits altogether, but that I could still order one online. Irritation gave way to panic. Giving up my dream of natural fibers, I visited Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Talbots, and Macy's. Still no Interview Suit.

In desperation, I tried Burberry and yet again came up empty handed. But here, an angel of a salesman whispered in his British accent, "Go to Lord & Taylor. Everything is on sale." And there, in the middle of the first floor, was an Interview Suit bonanza. Racks and racks of suits made by someone named Arthur S. Levine. Plain, no-nonsense suits in plain, no-nonsense colors. Let me tell you, relief feels like poly-blend.

Tahari Arthur Levine
Two Button Blazer

Tahari Arthur Levine
Tommy Pencil Skirt

All this has left me wondering if the Interview Suit is a dying breed. Perhaps the smaller stores needed to clear out boring basics this month to make room for their more exciting holiday offerings. Perhaps women have collectively decided that the old "rules" are nonsense, and that their education and experience should speak (rightfully) louder than a black pant suit. Or perhaps women aren't interviewing because of the poor job market. I just don't know.

I do know, however, that I'd really like a navy or gray suit in wool. If you have suggestions, please let me know. There is this one from Tahari, which I might be able to try on in Boston. Then again, maybe it's time to go custom with Moi-Meme.

Happy Halloween!

Granary Burial Ground, Boston

Sick as a dog.

I am fighting off an infection and have been laid up in bed for the past several days. On the plus side, I'm all caught up on the Kardashians and the Long Island Medium. It's driving the Merry Husband nuts. At this point, I think he wants me to get well almost as much as I do.

Nothing like a few hours of watching other people's lives to make you feel like you are wasting yours. So, I was intrigued when a friend of mine mentioned that she is doing the Day Zero Project. Essentially a bucket list organizer, the Day Zero Project allows you to set goals, monitor your progress, and share your success with the website's online community. The site's most popular challenge is its "101 Things in 1,001 Days" list. 1,001 days is approximately 2.75 years and puts me just a couple of months shy of my 40th birthday. I'll keep you updated as I (hopefully) strike goals from my list.

101 Things in 1001 Days

Oct 22, 2013 - Jul 19, 2016

1. Build a bonfire and toast marshmallows
2. Wake up at 5:00 AM everyday for a week
3. Kiss at the top of the Empire State Building
4. Pack a picnic
5. Volunteer 50 hours through the Junior League
6. See Niagara Falls (New York)
7. Paint the walls
8. Buy something fabulous for myself
9. Take a yoga class
10. Go to London
11. Have a baby
12. Run a marathon in under 4 hours
13. Host a cocktail party
14. See a Broadway show
15. Become flexible enough to touch my toes
16. Buy an original piece of art
17. Complete a 100 Pushups Challenge
18. Read 10 classics I should have read but have never got around to
19. Watch the sun rise over the Atlantic and set over the Pacific in the same day
20. See the Northern Lights
21. Eat a lobster in Maine
22. Visit Julia Child's kitchen in the Smithsonian
23. Buy a new car
24. Have professional photos taken of my dog
25. Eat caviar and drink champagne on New Year's Eve
26. Do a hangover run on New Year's Day
27. Go snow shoeing
28. Learn a new language
29. Take a lesson at the Land Rover Experience Driving School in Equinox, Vermont
30. Go canoeing
31. Reach my goal weight
32. Eat dinner at Commander's Palace in New Orleans
33. Hike part of the Appalachian Trail
34. Join a book club
35. Go to a jazz club
36. See a Shakespeare play
37. Learn to sew
38. Find a new job
39. Complete my silver pattern
40. Go to the Brimfield antique show
41. Do a detox
42. Refinish an old piece of furniture
43. Attend a lecture
44. Have a spa day
45. Enter something in a food competition
46. Attend a black tie gala
47. Attend a unique small-town event
48. Go to the top of the CN Tower
49. Eat oysters at Union Oyster House
50. Learn to drive a stick shift
51. Rock a bikini at the beach
52. Get certified in CPR
53. Go to a live professional sporting event
54. Try 10 new local restaurants
55. Go on a spiritual retreat
56. Order engraved stationery
57. Go on a road trip
58. Go to a wine tasting
59. Participate in a political party or an organization
60. Donate money to charity
61. Do a home improvement project
62. Have a candlelight dinner
63. Stroll the Cliff Walk in Newport (Rhode Island)
64. Test drive a convertible sportscar
65. Visit Nantucket (Massachusetts)
66. Do some birdwatching
67. Eat a food I've never tried before
68. Host a tea party
69. Attend finishing school
70. Go to see an Opera
71. Take piano lessons
72. Go a month without junk food
73. Take a self defense class
74. Make a new friend
75. Create the perfect up-do
76. Landscape the backyard
77. Take a knife skills class
78. Get a passport
79. Keep a bottle of champagne in the fridge, just in case
80. Learn how to change a tire
81. Take advice from an older & wiser woman
82. Make a snow angel
83. Send cookies to troops overseas
84. Catch a firefly
85. Learn to play bridge
86. Visit the Lincoln Memorial (Washington, D.C.)
87. Go clam digging
88. See the Christmas carolers at Faneuil Hall
89. Climb a mountain
90. Climb an indoor rock wall
91. Mix a French 75
92. Ride on a sleigh
93. Stay up all night
94. Learn how to do a cartwheel
95. See a lunar eclipse
96. Visit a cave
97. Do something completely spontaneous and crazy
98. Show gratitude
99. See a financial planner
100. Fly on a trapeze
101. Have a Hawaiian bracelet engraved with my dad's name

Columbus Day in Rockport

This weekend, artisans in the Cape Ann towns of Rockport and Gloucester opened their galleries for their 30th Annual Studio Tour. We decided that this was a lovely excuse to drive to the coast and enjoy the blue skies and salty air. Those of you who are George Clooney fans (and really, who isn't?) might know Gloucester as the setting for the movie The Perfect Storm. It's also home to that yellow slicker-clad icon, the Gorton's Fisherman. Gloucester is incredibly scenic, and deserves its own post sometime. For this outing, though, we decided to spend most of the afternoon next door in Rockport's Bearskin Neck, a touristy stretch of lobster shacks, art galleries, and souvenir shops.

Here on Bradley Wharf, you can see what has been called "the most often-painted building in America", a red fishing shack known as Motif #1.

After lunch at the Blue Lobster Grille, we wandered down the streets and through the shops.

The intriguingly named
"Dark Star Philosophia"

Gorton's Fishergulls?

This buoy was calling my name.

Lobster Traps

Fall Fashion Essentials: Boston Edition

I miss the L.A. uniform. Slip on a pair of faded jeans, a white gauzy tunic, and some flip-flops and you could blend in anywhere in the city, from the surf shacks of Manhattan Beach to the sidewalk bistros of Robertson Blvd. So easy. Of course, looking good in L.A. has always been about the body, not the clothes. It takes endless hours of hiking in Runyon Canyon to perfect that laid-back style. On second thought, maybe not so easy after all.

I'm sure it will surprise you not in the least to hear that there is a uniform in Boston too. Over the last week, I've been shuttling visiting relatives all over town, and doing some fashion reconnaissance on the sly. So, what are all the cool girls wearing this fall?

#1: Longchamp's Le Pliage

This bag is everywhere. Navy is the most popular, but several girls walking around the Common today sported dark red.

Here.

#2: Frye Melissa Button Boot

There are still a few brave souls wearing their Navajos, but most are tucking their skinny jeans and Lululemons into riding boots.

Here.

#3: The Quilted Puffer Vest

Your torso is ready for the tundra in a down vest. Again, navy rules, but yesterday I saw a beautiful version in burgundy with ruffles down the front at Sara Campbell in Concord.

Here.

#4: The Infinity Scarf

I am convinced that Une Femme is the only chick in Southern California who understands scarves. So, I'm encouraged to see women wearing circle scarves, like this one from Lilly Pulitzer. No mad origami skillz needed. Even I can pull this look off.

Here.

#5: Needlepoint Hat

Worn with a bun peeking out at the nape of the neck.

Here.

PSA: Brooks Brothers Shoe Sale

I have been stalking these shoes forever. They are finally on super-sale for $45.60. Oh Happy Day!

Apple Picking

My sister and niece flew out from L.A. yesterday to visit me for a whole week! The little one is currently obsessed with the Fancy Nancy book Apples Galore, so this morning we drove out to Stow to pick apples at Shelburne Farm.

You can walk through the orchards and fill up 10 or 20 pound bags with Macoun, McIntosh, Cortland, Empire, and Fuji apples. You can also pick what's left of the summer peaches, or get a jump on Halloween and buy a pumpkin instead.

We admired the farm animals, which included some donkeys and a llama, and then set out into the orchard.

We took a hay ride.

And we *had* to take a break for cider donuts!

Cider donuts rule.

So, what does 20 pounds of apples look like?

Our haul.

I tried to get my niece to do her best "Desperate Merry Wives" pose, but she went running after a dropped apple like Atalanta.

Tomorrow we head out to the Deerfield Fair in New Hampshire!

Twilight on the Pond

Did you see the Harvest Moon last night? I forgot all about it until I took the Merry Dog for an evening walk around Horn Pond and glanced up to see its full white face.

One of the pond's resident swans.

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