little.black.sheep.shop

Penguin llama, penguin llama-llama... A Review of The Movie Tavern

My sisters and I snuck out on Sunday morning for and early re-viewing of Disney's The Lion King.

We weren't able to catch it in 3-D, but it was nice to see it on the silver screen nonetheless.

We headed to the Movie Tavern for their

Flapjacks Breakfast and a Flick

special early-bird menu.

(They recently changed the name of this promo, hence the correction above).

This is my review of my first trip to "Tha Tavern":

 ---------

I have to say - it was nice to see my sistahs so early in the morning...

And it was neat to be able to eat while watching a movie on the big screen...

But I wouldn't be itching to return to "Tha Tavern" very soon.

The chairs were office/computer chairs... a bit odd.

And the food was lukewarm and subpar. A big disappointment for a place that is trying to differentiate themselves using a concept based on FOOD!

Although they offered fresh fruit on their other menus later in the day, and obviously had fruit sitting in the kitchen ready to be served later in the day, they refused to serve it for breakfast. To my sister. My pregnant sister. Come on, now... That's just bad customer service.

They didn't hand out silverware - or even plasticware! In fact - I saw the lady to my right flag someone down so she could ask for something other than her own hands to spread the cream cheese that came with her bagel.

Srsly?

The food was decently priced, but you definitely get what you pay for.

The other thing is that it was so dark, it was hard to see your food - and that irked me for some reason.

"What does it look like?"

"How do I know this is what I ordered?"

"Did I just eat a piece of the thin paper they served my potatoes on???"

The movie itself was fine - the quality was great, the sound was good. I wouldn't really have any issues at all if it was just a regular old movie theatre.

But... it isn't, folks. Far from it.

------

This all may sound a little harsh to some. But I have been to a movie theatre with this kind of concept before - and they REALLY nailed it. They even had an upstairs area that was reserved for adults (over 21), where they had a full-service bar. So I know it can be done properly! (That place was south of Oklahoma City in Norman - SOOOO AWESOME!) Talk about a kick-a$$ place to have a date-night!

Ultimately, The Movie Tavern was built upon a good idea, but they didn't bother taking it all the way to the finish line. Which in my opinion, is really sad.

So I may return one day. But in the meantime, I'll tell the girls to come over to my place in their jammies. I'll whip up a fresh breakfast feast and we can watch an old classic on my big TV, cozied up together on my comfy couch. With Riley piled up somewhere on top of us, I'm sure.

:)

 

(For those of you who might be confused by the title of this post, listen to the opening song in The Lion King... I don't know what they are chanting in some African language in the background, but to me it always sounds like they're saying "penguin llama, penguin llama-llama"!!!)

-h-

Wrapping Up Europe

So on my trip to Europe, I did a fair amount of window shopping and browsing. There was an odd assortment of finds throughout... Here are some of my favorites. :)

 

{ real leather liederhosen for children at a market in Germany - SO adorable }

 

{ this little wooden cabinet had so much character with its eclectic painted wooden pieces and distressed look - i wished i had a giant suitcase to bring this back home! }

 

{ handcrafted Belgian cookie molds - so much detail, the molds themselves look like artwork to be admired, not tools to be used in a kitchen! }

 

{ decorative wooden welsh love spoons, with symbolic designs that represent different things - beautiful handcrafted work }

 

{ brush brush brush... germans have a thing for brushes }

 

{ some William + Kate souvenir junk they were selling at a touristy shop in London }

 

{ hehe... solar powered waving plastic Queens! }

 

{ flower shop by Paul McCartney's daughter, Stella }

 

{ London window shopping under cover - a treat in what is usually a rainy city! }

 

{ suits galore on Seville street in London - even non traditional fabrics! }

 

{ these uniforms laid out in a work room below street level make me think of stuffy English royalty and aristocrats }

 

{ anthropologie! woohoo! }

 

{ unusual window display in Carnaby Street, London }

 

{ All Saints, a clothing store, features countless old Singer sewing machines in its windows... I wish I could take one of these home with me! }

 

{ you can't even see the clothes inside for the stacked Singer machines in the windows! perhaps that's the point... they make you come in to see what they have to offer... hmmmmm.... }

 

{ everywhere we looked in England, someone was trying to capitalize on the Royal Wedding. Yardley was selling a "Royal English Daisy" line of beauty products "in consideration of the Royal Wedding... whatever that means! }

 

{ and it wouldn't be a vacation without a "kitchy" souvenir shop - some of the Union Jack pillows were ok... these were a bit over the top. and do you see all the Will + Kate gear for sale? crazy }

 

{ an art gallery in Windor had a few clever creations in its window... check out this sheepdog... so cute and so much movement in the piece! }

 

{ the body of this swan looked like it was made using glue and string - papier mache style. And the wings seemed to feature real feathers, but I couldn't tell for sure. very clever! }

 

{ i also loved this dumpy fellow, perched atop a stack of old traveling cases }

 

{ i loved this cute piece of art i came across in a garden center in Scotland... the little dog at the bottom reminded me of my little Riley, who always likes to be around people! }

 

{ and speaking of dogs, check out this cute sign! }

 

{ seeing some of the items for sale made me miss my studio and sewing machine at home... i started to get inspiration for future items for the shop! }

 

{ these "money pots" were a really cool idea... they don't have an opening, just a slot to put money in. so if you want the money, you have to break the pot open! these pots were so pretty... you'd have to really want that moolah in order to break such a beautiful creation! }

 

{ check out the designs of these money pots - so many choices! }

 

{ i loved this heavy owl door stop - so cute! }

 

{ the hedgehog was a cute door stop design too. :) }

 

{ and these cute little sheep were calling me to take them home... but i had no room in my luggage :( }

 

So this pretty much wraps up the pics of my trip to Europe. I had a fantastic time and really enjoyed spending time with friends and family. The weather cooperated and I got to see so many sights, it was definitely a successful trip!

I can't wait until I begin the countdown to my next trip!

xoxo!

-h-

DIY Fused Glass

One of my sisters came into town to spend time with me on my birthday one weekend in March. It was SO nice to spend time doing things together - we usually just chat on the phone in the evenings as we are going about our separate lives.

So while she was in town, we decided to hit up The Mad Platter to paint some pottery. But we found out that they are also now offering DIY glass fusing! We were hooked from the moment we were informed about the process. :)

Believe it or not... it is super easy and very safe. We were provided a simple array of tools. Then we had to pick a base glass size, shape, and color. Both of us picked clear 7-inch squares.

Then... you get busy cutting glass and coming up with a design. When you have something you like, you glue the pieces down with simple Elmer's, believe it or not!

Then, you select any 3D shaping that you want your final piece to have. They can curve up the edges gently or make the final piece have a more structured look.

Then, you leave your piece behind to be put through the kiln a few times. Soon enough your final masterpieces are ready for you to take home!

We LOVED this process... so fun!

 

{ the tools and basic supplies }

 

{ my sis working away on coming up with a design }

 

 
{ our final pieces, mine to the left, my sister's to the right }

 

{ my final piece! }

 

{ my sister's final masterpiece }

 

We really had a blast... and this was a fun alternative to pottery painting. It was MUCH faster, which was good for us because we showed up with little more than an hour before they were supposed to close that night! I recommend it to craftistas in Columbia. If you have any questions, the gals at The Mad Platter are always patient and willing to answer any questions or address any concerns you might have. :)

 

xoxo!

-h-

Wicked Plants

On my recent trip to SF, we made it a point to stop by their Conservatory of Flowers... I was a little bummed that we were going to miss the Wicked Plants {botanical rogues & assassins} feature (which was scheduled to begin the following week)...

{ don't you love, love, LOVE the graphic design on their poster? }

 

If you find yourself currently in the SF area, I urge you to visit the Conservatory before this event is over in October... it looked like it was going to be pretty amazing.

Despite missing out on this feature, our trip certainly did not disappoint!

We saw so many gorgeous and interesting plants and flowers during our trip, my camera found itself clicking away before I knew what was happening!

I thought it would be extremely appropriate to share these pictures with you during Earth Week...

The plants made me appreciate the incredible living things we share this Earth with - things to be treasured and protected.

So here are many of my pics (there are so many because it was impossible to whittle it down to just a few!)

 

{ the beautifully kept grounds in front of the conservatory (you can see the domed white greenhouse in the distance) }

 

{ what i call a "living sign"... this one was quite clever. i had to get very close before i could figure out what living things made up this vista... }

 

{ sedum + moss! what an unexpected duo!! }

 

{ even the building had pretty details on its awnings }

 

{ the tropical section featured luscious green leaves and colorful flowers in all shapes and sizes to lure birds and insects }

 

{ these are a type of orchid (or are at least related), i believe... quite unusual! }

 

{ there were giant fuzzy ferns that towered above us so i couldn't help but imagine being a tiny caterpillar in a shaded glen... }

 

{ my sister spotted this pitcher plant as we walked by... the plant had many tendrils, to carry the weight of the pitchers... and it was awe inspiring to see them this close! }

 

{ the conservatory featured countless kinds of pitcher plants... some with mottled patterns, others with spikes... and this one that featured both! }

 

{ this little guy believed in interior decorating... blank on the outside, but stripes and freckles on the inside! just beautiful }

 

{ this was probably the most menacing looking of all with those large spikes and an opening at the top that looked like a gaping mouth... }

 

{ the colors in some of the plants were astounding... hard to believe you can see almost neon purple and pink in nature! }

 

{ this one was a little dr. seuss-esque... bunches of thin pointed pink spikes with very odd purple tube flowers }

 

{ they had a small pond with gigantic lily pads... made me want to come back as a frog in my next life }

 

{ lucky for me, orchids abounded. i have a soft spot for these delicate flowers... so it was an absolute treat to see so many different varieties in one place. these ones were large and chartreuse with peach centers }

 

{ this section featured more delicate and fragile potted orchids }

 

{ this one showed off a twisted "mustache" of sorts... or at least that was all i could see when i looked at it! and the bottom cup and top petal make me suddenly see the striking resemblance to pitcher plants... no wonder they're related! }

 

{ another "showy" one... do you see the mustache in this one like I do?? }

 

{ there is something about curled baby ferns that gets me... they seem so small and vulnerable. there were so many at the conservatory, it reminded me of my trip to Jamaica last year, which is home to hundreds of different types of ferns! }

 

{ then we headed over to the potted plants section. this display reminded me of my love for casual plant arrangements }

 

{ i couldn't believe this was alive... it is a type of wild yam appropriately named the Tortoise Plant }

 

{ some sort of citrus fruit that looked like a witch's hand }

 

{ this fuzzy flower looked like it was hand-painted... i loved that the peach fuzz covered the entire plant, from leaf to stem to inside the little buds! }

 

{ even nature can be organized... check out the orderly rows of what i suspect to be either spores or the eggs of some insect along the back of this leaf... love it! }

 

{ and finally, little baby buds... i only wish i could have stayed longer so i could come back and see what they looked like when they finally opened up! }

 

So you can see we had a very interesting trip!

It made me want to get my hands dirty with my gardening again - especially since the cold weather has FINALLY worn off!

This week, support your local greenhouses, nurseries, gardens, arboretums and museums. Plan a trip with your friends and family - and get your kids involved. Developing an appreciation of nature in our children could help provide them with a more promising future on this planet.

:)

 

* * *

 

Also, here's a reminder of earth-friendly tips I shared on my blog in years' past...

First, are a few tips regarding greening up your junk mail.

And then a link to earth-friendly craft ideas, courtesy of Kaboose.com. Enjoy!

For these and other tips, stay tuned every day this week. I'll be sharing my favorite "tree-hugging" ideas that I've come across. :)

xoxo!

- h -

Incredible Street Performer - Pics

I came across a few street performers during my trip...

 

{ like this "bronze" man... I snapped this shot as he was taking a break, but I think I got him in a pretty cool pose! }

 

But the best of them all was "soccer ball man" in Montmartre.

At first... it didn't seem overwhelmingly impressive... he was on a 4x4 platform, keeping the ball with him at all times as perfomed various tricks. I snapped the next two pics as we were making our way up the steps to the Basilica de Sacre Coeur...

 

{ he was advertising on his shirt that he was representing Ghana... }

 

{ he took off his shirt and his shoe while balancing the ball... }

 

It was interesting... but not enough to keep us from heading on our way up to the church.

But by the time we came back down... he was up to all sorts of shenanigans! I took pics from a distance and then zoomed in so you can check out the feats he was performing... keep in mind that soccer ball never left his side!

 

 

{ i can't balance a soccer ball on my head standing on solid ground - i can't imagine doing it while hanging from a lightpole! }

 

 
{ yeah... i do this every morning before breakfast too... }

 

{ hanging with one arm? 10 bucks this guy could pass the presidential fitness test }

 

{ he was doing tricks, kicking the ball around WHILE HANGING FROM ONE ARM. SRSLY?!!! }

 

{ if I knew all you needed to work out was a soccer ball and a lightpost, i'd have cancelled my gym membership a long time ago }

 

{ it took me a second to realize he still had control of the soccer ball }

 

 

 

{ well, he's just showing off }

 

{ he made the whole thing look really easy - what a liar }

 

So apparently all that early stuff was just a luke-warm-up!

Absolutely incredible. I hope he made a bunch of money that day!

-h-

Eiffel Tower Pics

I remember going to Washington D.C. on my own for a business trip years ago. I was lucky enough to stay in a hotel very close to the White House (if not THE closest), as the law offices I was visiting were located one or two blocks away.

I was working a lot of hours... and didn't have time for much (if any) sightseeing while I was there. But I decided to get up early one morning so I could at least say that I had "seen" the White House during my stay.

I don't know if it was the bitter cold (it was January), the bitter coffee (from the hotel room), or the bitterness I was beginning to have for my work task (which I began to suspect was a HUGE waste of my time)... but during my walk that morning, I saw the White House from the gates... and I was severely disappointed.

I honestly stopped and looked around just to make sure I hadn't made a mistake. Was this the right building? Was there some other bigger, more impressive White House hiding somewhere behind the tiny, boring building in my sight?

And when I realized that that was it... I was so annoyed that I had bothered to get up early!!!

Now... before you start thinking of me as unAmerican, there are many structures in the U.S. that I find to be impressive marvels. The Empire State Building. The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Even Epcot Center in DisneyWorld. I simply didn't find "the" American house to be that big of a deal.

And I guess it all comes down to expectations. It has been depicted in countless movies - and perhaps my mind warped it into something that was larger than life. Something that reality just simply could NOT compete with!

Poor real White House... it didn't have a chance with glittery movie White House!

So when I decided to visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris, I was a bit cautious.

I thought it would be a bit boring and disappointing like my visit to Washington D.C.

Because, let's face it... you always hear all the hype.

The romance...

The beauty...

The architectural marvel...

Etcetera etcetera. 

But... it was INCREDIBLE!

(I was SO relieved!)

And it definitely lived up to its expectations. It was much larger than I had imagined... and just... beautiful.

Particularly it lit up and sparkled agains the black sky at night. (ooooh!! aaaaaah!!)

Just... breathtaking!

Here are some of my pics from that evening...

{ just in case you couldn't spot the gigantic metal structure... there were street signs to help you find your way :) }

 

{ we approached from our hotel... it was dusk, so the lighting was really nice }

 

{ we had to wait in line for quite some time to go all the way to the top... so we started snapping shots while we were waiting... it was HUGE! }

 

{ a "bug's eye view" from the center - such pretty symmetry! }

 

{ if you zoom in one just one section, you start to realize just how much pretty detail is included throughout the structure }

 

{ we headed up through "pilier nord" - taking the elevator all the way to the top (they closed the entrance for the stairs as we arrived into the plaza - bummer!) }

 

{ a bust of Mr. Eiffel himself }

 

{ i thought the sign warning of pickpockets in the elevator waiting area was... interesting }

 

{ and i finally made it to the top! }

 

{ a beautiful view of the city competed with the crowded view of the city from Montmartre - just incredible }

 

{ one of my fav pics i took of the Tower... it just glowed at night! }

 

{ but sacrifices were made in order to get that pic! I stayed down there for a couple who obviously wanted a picture of both of them in front of the tower... oh the things i do for others! }

 

{ my friend very kindly got this awesome snap of me - so she had to do some "ground time" too! fun fun :) }

 

{ our final glimpse of the Eiffel Tower as we began to make our way back to our hotel for a restaurant recommendation... }

 

-h-

 

 

 

 

Architecture in Paris

While in Paris, I visited the Basilica de Sacre Coeur in Montmartre... and, of course... the Eiffel Tower! Pictures of that tomorrow. :)

The Basilica was interesting. Definitely incredible detail on the building. I lit a candle inside... and noticed they were advertising that the Pope had visited just one or two years ago!

So! Here are some of my fav pics featuring the architecture I saw while I was there!

 

{ the Basilica from a distance... perched atop a hill it is the highest point in Paris }

 

{ a view of some of the residences close to the Basilica... quaint little balconies with plants in terra cotta plants everywhere... }

 

{ several statues stood out from the masonry of the Basilica itself... and check out the scalloped detail on the domed sections of the roof... is that what those things are called? roofs? please, someone who knows more than I do - correct me if I'm making some terrible faux pas! (p.s. - I love that I could use that word when we're talking about Paris!) }

 

{ i thought these were a little creepy... but impressive detail nonetheless }

 

{ do you see the griffins? very cool }

 

{ these guys must be protecting the Basilica ... they were pretty big and stuck out from the walls - scary looking! }

 

 

{ from this angle, it looks more like a castle to me... such grandeur }

 

{ and just next to the overbearing church are these cobble-stone side streets and alleys with shops... this one had an Irish pub on the left (really) }

 

{ i loved this shot for some reason... }

 

{ the entrance to the "metro" was gothic to say the least... not particularly inviting! }

 

If you're heading to Paris, this is definitely worth a trip. Particularly for the religious... and really for anyone who wants to see all of Paris spread out before them. The views from the top of the stairs are shocking... it really makes you think the city crowded. An amazing view.

Bring your walking legs though!

xoxo!

 

Cut, Piece, Pin, Sew...

So a couple of weeks ago, I took a Quilting 101 class (you can sign up for one of these classes at your local Jo-Ann's Fabrics store).

I was really happy to bust out my sewing machine... it hadn't really seen much daylight in the last year or so!

And I thoroughly enjoyed the class. I suspected the quilting process would be a bit too fussy for my liking. All the talk of cutting, piecing, and pressing had me thinking my impatience would get the better of me...

But, I actually enjoyed the process!

For my fabric, I selected a red scattered polka dot, a modern blue print, and an understated white-on-white striped print. I LOVED the combination. (And I realized that I'm currently obsessed with this color palette. Remember my compost pot from the Mad Platter? Same colors... but anywaaaaayz...)

The instructor, Miss Ginger, walked us through the process of creating a "monkey wrench" block...

 

{ my workspace with some of my pieces laid out... rotary cutter at the ready }

 

{ cut, piece, pin, sew, press... cut, piece, pin, sew, press... }

 

{ the block started coming together quickly }

 

 { the final block... the colors don't show up properly here (thanks to bad fluorescent lights and taking this pic on my iPhone)... I loved how it all turned out! }

 

I was encouraged by Miss Ginger to continue making more blocks... and I have done so... cutting and sewing in my spare time. I'm hoping to make more progress this weekend... and then I'll have to think about how I want to put all the blocks together.

SO excited! I'll let you know how the project goes. And I'm going to be looking for inspiration of modern quilt designs online for ideas of my finishing touches... and maybe for future quilts!

 - crafty h -

xoxo!

A trip to Mainz, Germany - HELAU!!!

During my trip to Germany, I joined my friend and her German neighbor on a trip to Mainz to celebrate what they called Carnival. It's kind of like Mardi Gras... except to get the sweets (and other odd items) they toss from floats, you don't have to bare any skin. In fact... you just have to yell out HELAU for 4 hours straight!

We got dressed up, spiked a 2 liter of Diet Coke with a teeny bit of rum, and caught the morning train to Mainz. It took two hours to get there, and the parade seemed like it would never end. It was an interesting day - everyone got dressed up like it was Halloween. Except there weren't any scary costumes! 

 

{ i went as Athena and my friend went as a twenties flapper girl... it was cold, so we had bundled up with turtlenecks and gloves! }

 

{ we sipped on our "diet coke" for the few hours we were out there... refreshing! }

 

{ the giant heads that were sort of the brands of the parade }

 

{ some of what they tossed out to the outreaching arms of the crowd! }

 

{ a float with characters from some German children's show }

 

{ a cute bee couple on the same float }

 

{ and a dandy dandelion to top it off! }

 

{ a lot of people were dressed up in costumes reminiscent of George Washington... I have yet to figure out why }

 

{ polar bears! }

 

{ vikings... seriously... they looked very cold... }

 

{ one of the more involved floats that I liked - voodoo dolls! }

 

{ we got to enjoy some packaged waffles in the afternoon when we were hungry }

 

{ i was raised not to litter - and Germans are so eco-concious i was SHOCKED when everyone was throwing their trash on the streets during the parade! but... }

 

{ this was the same street only 30 minutes or so after the parade had finished - already cleaned up! }

 

I had a great time that day and enjoyed seeing a Germany tradition. We had a great spot in the sun, so we weren't even as cold as we had feared we would be. And with that, I will bid you...

HELAU!!!

hehe

-h-

Fortnum & Mason's

On my first full day in London, my sister and I met up with my fabulous aunt and we killed some time grabbing a bite to eat at Fortnum & Mason's - a London institution that has history dating back to the 1700s. No, that is not a typo. 1700s. Like... the century in which the Declaration of Independence was written!

Pretty incredible.

After grabbing a bite to eat (paired with a bottle of champagne because we were on vacation after all), we pottered around the various floors of the store, stumbling across all sorts of great finds. I wish I hadn't had to pack so light because I would have LOVED to have brought back some of the goodies I found!

 

{ the "beauty" floor had tables full of colorful soaps in the most fabulous scents }

 

{ the scent of the Bronnley Lemon soaps (in the shape of lemons) took my aunt back to her childhood }

 

{ they even had a perfumery bar where you could mix your own custom fragrances - tres chic }

 

{ Fortnum & Mason's offers Highgrove-branded garden products (The Highgrove Estate of His Royal Highness, Prince Charles) and proceeds benefit charities - two thumbs way up }

 

{ from Highgrove were citronella candles, twine, and colorful watering pots }

 

{ check out this sweet suede gardening apron from Highgrove! Practical and charming! }

 

{ loved the color of this garden sign }

 

{ the bottom two floors offered food items - a blur of tins and jars full of delicious treats! }

 

{ crackers, honey, jams and jellies... }

 

{ English tea? take your pick! }

 

 

{ a peek down to the lowest level boasting a variety of produce, breads, cheeses, and canned and preserved items }

 

{ does anyone know what to do with preserved lemons? i don't... but I loved the packaging! }

 

{ friendly daffodils were offered in their small flower section - my favorite flower! }

 

It was really nice to walk around and see what they had to offer... and I may have spent some money had I had room in my luggage. If you want to check out Fortnum & Mason's for yourself, or look into the Highgrove Estate and its products, visit their websites.

xoxo!

-h-