For Fashionistas Only: Yes, I am a Label Whore

I try not to be, because sometimes the label is the best thing about the item. In such cases, I wander around the thrift store with the item in my cart. Then I put it back. Never do I have any regrets. That Carlisle jacket I tried on a while back is still there, for instance.

Today, I found a Dries Van Noten sweater! Black, cashmere, V-neck. If the truth be told, the cashmere isn't any better than that of the Lands End turtleneck I got (at Goodwill!) last year. I succumbed anyway.

My question is: how did this sweater wend its way to my little town? I could see if my town were, say, Wellesley MA or the like. Such is not the case.

What's the most unlikely item you've ever found?


P.S. Miss Em, If you read this, do not heap too much scorn upon me.

Holiday Gifts for Children: The Invention of Tradition

Since I come from a family that was--to put it mildly--lackadaisical about gifts and gift-giving occasions, it is hard for me to understand the pressure many people feel. There's a famous book called Unplug the Christmas Machine that deals with these issues. Evidently the book alone does not suffice: there is also a workbook to use in support groups. One of my friends used to clutch a heavily annotated and dog-eared copy of this tome to her bosom year-round. No wonder: between her and her husband, the siblings numbered 10. Her husband's family of seven children each produced--on average--five a piece.

So here is the first of my modest proposals: little traditions are more important than gifts, large or small. I'm not talking about your family traditions necessarily. I'm talking about traditions you invent. If this seems like a paradox, let me defend myself by pointing to a famous academic book called precisely The Invention of Tradition.

One tradition we invented--by accident--was the little poem attached to the gift. Even though we are English teachers who love poetry, WRITING poetry is not one of our strong--or even weak--suits. Here is an example. One year, we gave Frugal Son a can of sardines and Miss Em Swedish Fish. (I know these gifts seem ludicrous, but they were much appreciated! No, this was not all they got!)

Noticing the fish theme, we wrapped them together with this poem: "Here are two gifts that come from the sea/One's sweet, one's not: what can they be?"

Well, of course, the little poem was recited with great excitement to friends and family. And thus began a "tradition" (now we HAVE to do it) whereby we must attach a poem to every gift.

Do you have any little traditions that are valued as much as fancy gifts?

At St Paul's Cathedral: Bankers Speak!

When I visited St Paul's Cathedral in London, I headed for the basement, where I could see the famous statue of poet John Donne. This statue survived a fire at the original St Paul's.

Reading the financial news is causing me a lot of stress these days. And I really shouldn't do it. But I can't resist this tidbit from a brief article in The New York Times. Apparently a bunch of bankers were speaking at (??) the cathedral. I wonder if this was open to all worshipers or only for other bankers.


While not exactly Gordon Gekko’s “greed is good” speech from the movie “Wall Street,” Brian Griffiths, an adviser to Goldman Sachs International, said during a recent panel discussion at St. Paul’s Cathedral on “the place of morality in the marketplace,” that bonuses would encourage charity and lift the economy.

“We have to tolerate the inequality as a way to achieve greater prosperity and opportunity for all,” Mr. Griffiths said.

What would John Donne say? Well, he was the one who said "No man is an island."

Potato Leek Soup: Even better in Nantes

Frugal Son is in France. Though he occasionally mentions his language classes, he mostly talks about his adventures in cooking. He's bought such expensive treats as chanterelles and fancy shellfish. Today, he wrote ecstatically about his cooking of the iconic French soup, potato-leek. I've made the soup a number of times; I don't remember the ecstasy.

Below is our on-line chat, slightly edited, with a frugal ending.



8:36 PM me: hi mon fils
8:37 PM FS: holy sh**
me: what
FS: leek soup is so good
me: did you make the easy or the super-easy?
8:38 PM it's also amazingly cheap--called soupe bonne femme-housewife soup
FS: holy god it's just perfect in every way
first I gently cooked the leeks in butter (without browning)
me: Americans goop it up w/ chicken stock, bacon, sour cream, etc
FS: and I added a little bit of garlic
8:39 PM then I put in potatoes, water
and at the end, milk
salt, and pepper
I will admit I put in a tiny tiny tiny bit of chicken bouillion
but seriously
just a tiny tiny bit
don't hate me!
me: only a tiny bit
8:40 PM FS: ok :(
but still
it was super super good
8:41 PM I would estimate a meal for 2 - 3 "MOIs" would cost about 4 euros to make
maybe less
no no definitely less
maybe 2.50 euros


It's soooooo good. And, with the money you save on dinner, you can start your Paris fund.

Overheard at Target and Pumpkin Shortage

I had an early appointment with the oral surgeon (see earlier post about ethical dilemma; I will NOT return to this guy) and, on my way home, I decided to go to Target. I seldom go there, but I wanted to check out the window panel selection. It was right on my way.

Well, window coverings were a dud, but I meandered over to the candy section where the signs said "75% off Halloween." I always scan the items before checkout to prevent problems. I picked up a big box of Snickers for my beloved chocoholic daughter and three boxes of granola bars. The Snickers scanned at the sale price; the granola bars did not. I inquired of the manager, who said they were not on sale, even though they were under the sign! She said "Just this once you can have them."

All the women within earshot converged on the granola bars in ecstasy! One said to me, "Yesterday the sign said 50% off, but they wouldn't let anyone have them at the sale price." The others agreed.

This exchange made me realize that some people go to Target EVERY DAY in order to hunt for bargains. Some had entire carts filled with the cheap candy.

I made for the check out, where the front manager called the back manager to check out the veracity of my claim. I guess lots of people lie.

So perhaps I am not as pathologically frugal as I thought, since I am horrified by the idea of daily Target visits. Even weekly ones. Plus I only bought one box of Snickers and three boxes of granola bars.

Speaking of Halloween: I hope I did not entice anyone with my pumpkin soup. I was itching to use up the 5 or so cans of pumpkin that have been languishing in my cupboard. I bought them last year, probably for a quarter. Unlike my other investments, the pumpkin proved to be a good one, since there is evidently a PUMPKIN SHORTAGE this year. Who knew?

By the way, don't try to cook your Halloween pumpkin; it is not the right variety. Instead, substitute acorn squash, which tastes about the same as pumpkin (i.e. not much taste). Because of the shortage, I will not tempt you with tales of the delicious pumpkin strata I have made or the pumpkin pasta sauce I am thinking of making.

Cheap, Easy, Quick, Healthy Pumpkin Soup

Note: I did not say "delicious." I'm not sure about the flavor.

This soup, from Ronald Johnson's Simple Fare, is based on an Elizabeth David recipe. The ingredients are: onion, canned pumpkin, cabbage, white beans. I've been meaning to make this for years, but the planets did not align till today. I had all the ingredients, plus we were still recuperating from an overnight trip to Alabama to see our dear daughter.

Here's how to do it: saute an onion in butter (or lard!), add some garlic, shredded cabbage, and water (or stock). Add the pumpkin too. You're supposed to cook dried beans with this, but I had some already cooked, with only about a day left of their lifespan.

This took a ton of salt. And I added some butter in at the end to try to coax out more flavor. We had it with salad (also near the end of its lifespan) and good bread.

I'm not sure if I love this, or even like it, but I'm sure the combination of superfoods has added at least a little to my lifespan.

While I'm not sure if I like the soup apart from its intrinsic virtues, I LOVE the cookbook, which is too little known, I'm sure. I will have more to say about the book apace.

Holiday Freebies and Invitations: I'm So Popular

It all started last week when I went to Banana Republic to use my about-to-expire $10.00 gift card.

There, I was invited to a special holiday sale on November 5, featuring live music, catered food, and 30% off. Should I go? It might be worth it if we could get dinner out of it.

Then, in my email box, I received an invitation to Talbots this week. No mention of food or entertainment, just 20% off. It is unlikely that I will go just for a little discount.

A postcard arrived announcing that Fresh Market (kind of like Whole Foods, only smaller) is having their holiday tasting, which amounts to a whole meal. This Friday and Saturday.

Also this Saturday, my local grocery--Rouses--is having a Thanksgiving tasting.

I only avail myself of these opportunities if I can accomplish another errand or two en route.

I have never recovered from graduate student poverty. Free food opportunities are nirvana to the impoverished student. Somehow, even after more than 25 years post-school, my antennae are still on constant alert.

Basking in my new-found popularity....