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Random Pics From the Road

Ancient Help for Hump Day

luckycatphotography.com

I forget exactly where this thoughtful fellow began his life, but now he lives in the Metropolitan Museum in NYC, near the Assyrian stuff. I just love his friendly, solicitous expression, and those hands.

God how I love those hands.

I have decided that he is a magic talisman, ready to help me -- and anyone else with a crazybusyrushed Wednesday -- get through another 12 hour day. 

You're welcome.

- Cat/BadKitty

I'm a "San Francisco Travel Expert"!

Through my travel writing at UpTake, I was invited to do my first podcast, an "Insider's Guide to San Francisco"! The very cool Addison Schonland from IAG, a travel and aviation consultancy, interviewed me today, posted it 20 minutes later and it's already been downloaded a bunch of times.

Addison helped me avoid screwing up too much, but I did:

• say that Healdsburg was 2 miles (not hours) north of SF
• forget the name of Bodega Bay
• pronounce "room" like "rum," a Boston accent thing that Chief always points out and I always deny. Now he has proof!

It's 20 minutes long, which I understand is time commitment in this busy world. But I tried to make it entertaining -- I even bring up naked people near the end. Enjoy!

- Cat/BadKitty

Julz Rulz - Be Badass and Cool When Driving a Muscle Car

Among other activities, last week I raced down to North Carolina to visit my sister and meet her new husband "Sgt Hottie" -- he has great legs!

Julz and I always have the best time hanging out together -- as her husband says, "Julie is good company." She also has her own set of hot legs, and a badass attitude, which is how she gets away with wearing those aptly named Daisy Dukes.

Yes, I said aptly named. Note the car on which Julz is leaning: a Charger, the one with the 6.1 Hemmie under the hood. Not ringing any bells? Try to imagine it with a more colorful paintjob, like orange, with a confederate flag painted across the top.

It's a goth General Lee! Cool, right?!

Plus it has cup holders for her morning venti iced coffee with skim milk and 2 pumps of sugar-free vanilla, aka "The Julz." Order it by name next time you go to a drive thru Starbucks in North Carolina. They'll know exactly what to do, and you'll be (nearly) as cool as she is.

- Cat/Bad Kitty

One of my Favorite Picnics Ever

A great day in May: Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, enjoy a picnic lunch by the giant sailor statue on the other side, and take tons of pictures along the way.

A perfect day in May: Doing the above with my dad, "Mr. San Francisco Legs '09."

Other Cool Stuff I've Been Doing ... At GreenDaily and Tonic

 

Why yes, this is a photo of me, Cat, holding a Flying Monkey salt shaker. And hour glass pepper shaker. Because I have a very excellent and attentive friend named Suzie.

While I continue my birthday month celebrations, here are a few reading selections from two more sites, GreenDaily and Tonic.

GreenDaily, the AOL green channel:

• Conservation Fashion -- which style eco-fashionista are you?
• Do you know about Plarn? And bags knitted out of Plarn?
• The bees are still disappearing, but some businesses are trying to do something about it
• What shade of green environmentalist are you?

Tonic, the "Positively Good" News site:

• A follow up interview with Ali Hewson/Mrs. Bono, on sustainable trade
  
• An interview with Mary Lynn Fitton founder of the amazing Art of Yoga Project
• Tom Szaky of TerraCycle shared his Garbage Mogul perspective on sustainability
• Fragrance magnate Harry Slatkin talked about his Autism foundation

The Best Way to Spend a Sunny Friday

See how the red cups make it feel like a "special" occasion?

Last week a whole passel of family hit town to help celebrate two birthdays -- my aunt's 50th and my 40th.

The frequently/usually frigid SF weather cooperated for several days, including a gorgeous sunny day last Friday. I met up with the gang at the Ferry Building, where we stocked up on Cowgirl Creamery cheese, a salumi sampler from Tasty Salted Pig Parts, a couple of loaves of Acme Bread, and many, many bottles of wine.

Outside by the Bay, we commandeered several chairs, a bench, and a cast iron table, on which we spread out our gourmet picnic, made only slightly ghetto by the red plastic cups.

My east coast family members were amazed that we could drink a bottle of wine while sitting there, soaking up the sun while gazing at the Bay Bridge and Alcatraz.

Okay, we did more laughing and teasing than gazing serenely, but the location was delightful, as was the company.

San Francisco: the best place in the world to drink in public with loved ones on a sunny Friday in May.

Cool Stuff I've Been Doing ... at StyleList

I just got a reminder from the lovely ladies at BlogHer that I've been neglecting this sweet blog. That will never do, but this week I'm super busy with my family visiting to celebrate my 40th birthday month.

Rather than freak out about coming up with a clever post, I thought I'd share where I've been for the past couple of months. Since there is a lot of fun, new stuff, I decided to break it up over a couple of posts.

This first one is about what I've done lately at StyleList, namely a ton of interviews, including:

• Martha Stewart -- and some quotes even got picked up by NY Magazine!
• Madonna's make up artist, Gina Brooke, of Shu Uemura, gorgeous and gracious
• Project Runway's Christian Siriano -- who was a total sweetheart!
• Celebrity stylist and extension guru Ted Gibson
• Tom Brokaw -- yes, the real one -- about style and character
• Ali Hewson (Bono's wife!) on "Sustainable Fashion"
• I'm now one degree of separation from Cutest Beatle Paul McCartney, thanks to an interview with his designer daughter, Stella McCartney (also, I disavow the bitchy tone, which came from a very heavy handed editing job) 
• Another hair giant, Sally Hershberger who talked about how to give your hair guts, using her AMAZING new Shagg line
• Albert Kriemler, AKRIS designer, and fine Swiss gentleman
• Naeem Khan, designer of the finale dresses in the movie Dream Girls, and also an amazing gentleman

Bonus post: my BFF Baby and I did a Dior Master Makeup Class at Neiman Marcus and then had delicious drinks while wearing ridiculous amounts of makeup. That's me, covered in bronzer, standing between master makeup artists Becky Watkins, on the left, and Karen Hummel on the right.

New Starbucks Ad Campaign is Full of Shit

Love 'em or hate 'em, I have to admit Starbucks is an amazing brand. They invented the "experiential marketing" model, and their success story is mandatory study for MBA students. But their new ad campaign, called "Value & Values," is a huge misstep. I call shenanigans.

To kick off the campaign, and in a lame attempt to get some free buzz from "social media," they released this painfully uncomfortable YouTube video starring Howard Schultz, the chairman and CEO of Starbucks, and a bunch of clueless 19 year old baristas "Starbucks Partners." The group sits at a table covered with the new ads, and spouts a pile of "Brand Language 101" tripe. It's an embarrassing waste of money. Also? The ads are ugly, dumb, and boring.

This campaign cost millions and natters on about values. You know what I value, and what other eco-conscious people (i.e. most of the world) value? Environmental responsibility. Leadership. Corporations putting their money to work where it can do some good.

I'm willing to believe they have good intentions. In fact, Starbucks does some things well, like giving benefits to part-time employees. On the other hand, their green record is terrible.

As incomprehensible as it sounds, many Starbucks stores don't have recycling! And I've written many times that they need to do something about the 2.3 billion non-recyclable hot cups that go from Starbucks stores to landfill every year.

Peets has had compostable cups since 2007, but Starbucks says they can't put a recyclable cup in the hands of their customers until 2015. That is outrageous! With their buying power -- if they wanted to -- Starbucks could have a compostable cup in stores this year.

Starbucks can get away with running a braggy campaign about how much "heart" they pour into every (Earth-killing) cup as soon as they use their heft to become leaders in sustainable "to go" innovation. Until then, their coffee is too expensive, their cups suck, and their ad campaign is a shitty pile of marketing lies.

And yes, since he mentioned it, I'll be delighted to email, blog, twitter and share my low opinion of them to everyone I know. Good idea Mr. Schultz!

I Miss Maude, Too

Props to the brilliant as usual Go Fug Yourself Girls for posting the link to this priceless video of Bea Arthur as Carrie Bradshaw.

Thanks for the memories Maude. We miss you.

(Yes, that's Sally Struthers, Katherine Hellman and Mrs. Garret from the Facts of Life.)