A Vanillarific Home

We had our very first home-showing today.  Since we are in the process of packing, the house is a daunting obstacle course of boxes.  And hopping over or squeezing past moving boxes is not really the best way to showcase your house, in case you were wondering  So I did my best to push all the boxes over to the walls to maximize walking space.  I vacuumed, dusted, cleaned, and tidied up every room.  The house looked better than I have ever seen it, but there was still something missing….

Vanilla.  I took a small glass baking dish, poured a little vanilla extract into it, and then put it in the oven at 275.  Within a few minutes, a beautifully alluring aroma began to fill the house.  It was very delicate and subtle.  Absolute perfection.  I mean, who could resist such a sparkling, aromatic house?!  It almost made me rethink our move… Okay, not really

Then, after I spent all morning preparing for the showing, the people canceled.  Wah-wah-waaaaah.  But even though it didn’t work out today, I know the right person will come along at the right time.  Plus, now our house is super clean.  And the vanilla-in-the-oven trick is so awesome that I want to do that every day — even if we’re not expecting visitors — just because it makes the whole house smell SO AMAZING!

Best Of: Top 20 Reveal

While July 4th was filled with the Matlock marathon, backyard grilling, and festive fireworks, SYTYCD was noticeably absent on its typical Wednesday night.  The show took a break for the holiday, and I definitely missed my weekly dose of beautiful dancing and inspirational choreography!

To help fill the void until the next show, I re-watched a few of my favorite dances from the Top 20 Reveal.  This year, for the first time ever, there are 3 (!) ballet dancers that made the cut.  Here is the ensemble piece that they performed together… my vote for best dance of the evening:

Amazing, right?!

We all scream…

…for ICE CREAM!!

Can you believe that tomorrow is July already?  This year is just flying by!  Not only is July Birthday Month, but it also happens to be National Ice Cream Month.  How appropriate  And I am so excited that Blue Bell is unveiling a special “Christmas Cookies in July” rotational flavor of the month!

Per their website: “Christmas Cookies Ice Cream combines your favorite holiday cookies – chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, and sugar – in a tasty sugar cookie ice cream with red candy cane shaped sprinkles and a green icing swirl throughout.”

When they unveiled this brand new flavor last December, I could not wait to try it.  Sugar cookie ice cream?  All of my favorite cookies?  No nuts or yucky raisins?!  Festive red sprinkles and green icing swirls?  I was in ice cream heaven!!  I thought I would have to wait another year to experience the gloriousness of “Christmas Cookies” again… but what a fabulous surprise to have a special edition released in honor of my birthday!  ;)

Happy Birthday Month to me!!

Remixed

I am just now getting caught up on the past few weeks of ABDC.  Without a doubt, this has been the best season yet.  From the return of the creative geniuses Fanny Pack to the surprisingly brilliant tweens 8 Flavahz, the choreography skills and dance prowess of the crews have far surpassed any previous season.

Here is my favorite performance: Mos Wanted Crew performing to a master remix of David Guetta hits.

I knew you’d love it, too

Treat Yourself!

Happy National Vanilla Milkshake Day!

I, for one, cannot think of a better way to celebrate the Summer Solstice — and enjoy a brief reprieve from the sweltering heat — than indulging in a cold, creamy milkshake.  Refreshing and decadent at the same time.  Mmmm!!

Of course, the word “milkshake” always makes me think of the epic 5 Malt Challenge. Although I didn’t win (mouth…got…so…cold…), I still believe that if the challenge were based solely upon quantity and not time-constrained, that I would be victorious.  I mean, I have been training my whole life for a competition like that  But ultimately, who else could claim to attempt the Challenge and then follow up with dinner at The Cheesecake Factory that same day?  #winning

Mystery Movie News

And in upcoming mystery movie news, apparently Charlize Theron is set to star in a murder mystery movie aptly entitled: Murder Mystery (creative title, no?).  It will be a whodunit-style comedy described as an “affectionate deconstruction” of an Agatha Christie story.

Hmm, sounds intriguing!  I wonder if it will be at all reminiscent of Murder By Death or perhaps Clue?

And speaking of Miss Marbles Marple, Jennifer Garner’s remake is still slated for 2013 according to IMDB.  Although, a young Miss Marple will dramatically alter the feel of the stories — Agatha Christie originally created Jane Marple as an elderly British woman, inspired by AC’s own grandmother — I like Jennifer Garner as an actress, and I am hoping that she can make it work.  And it does seem to be in vogue these days to modernize the classic detectives, considering the huge success of the recent Sherlock Holmes on Masterpiece.

But what I really want to know is: will there ever actually be a Royal Spyness movie?!  The Royal Spyness mysteries are a series of deliciously witty espionage stories by Rhys Bowen, one of my (newly discovered) favorite authors.  Over a year ago, it was announced that a UK production company bought the rights to make a movie out of the books, but there has been little to no information available since then.  IMDB still says the movie is “in production” for a 2012 release… umm, yeah, I don’t think so.  I would love to see a movie (series?!) starring Lady Georgie!!  Only time will tell, but I am keeping my hopes up.

I love all of the books in the series, but I have to say that Royal Blood is my favorite so far!  Looking forward to the next one, which will be published in November

~A

No Trip For You!

Over the weekend, Acorn announced the grand prize winner of their “Queen of Crime” sweepstakes… and by now you’ve already deduced from my clue in the title of this post that I am not the winner.

*Sigh*

But since I didn’t win this trip, I will have to plan my own Agatha Christie inspired dream-vacation some day!  And in the meanwhile, I can now watch Poirot on the Roku