Spring trends: Knee highs?
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen knee highs in regular circulation.
My mom used to have a bunch balled up in her drawer. She’d pull them out when she had the occasion to wear “slacks.”
I’ve spotted elderly women wearing knee highs with dresses or skirts as a hosiery substitute. Invariably they’ll bend over or heaven-forbid, sit down revealing reinforced elastic for all to see.
Now, however, that seems to be the point.
Last year when Jena Malone traipsed the red carpet in granny-chic, the response was shock and dismay. Yet this year on the Marni runway, knee highs were worn like knee socks. Flimsy, banded knee socks.
While I am a lover of knee socks, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get over the Grandma hurdle.
Anyone planning on sporting knee highs this spring?
Phoenix shabu shabu (swish swish)
Shabu Shabu is a Japanese hot pot meal, titled for the sound the meat makes when cooking in broth (swish swish). It consists of raw meat, tofu, noodles and vegetables submerged into a pot of bubbling broth. Kind of like soup, but different.
A friend and I had just been talking about Shabu Shabu.
“You know what I want?” she questioned. “Shabu shabu.”
“Too bad they don’t sell it anywhere in Phoenix, ” I told her.
Which I believed until I saw a Twitter from Hana pimping their Shabu Shabu. “We must go!” I told my husband upon viewing aforementioned Tweet.
I gave them a call and made reservations for that very night.
Upon arrival they ushered us to a 4-person table and then pulled another one along side, “There’s going to be a lot of food. You’ll need this,” our server explained.
Oh really?
Soon we had edamame and a crab/cucumber appetizer in front of us.
We set out our giant beer and sake (it’s BYOB) and settled in for an adventure.
Soon they set up a hot plate and brought out a big boiling pot of water along with a plate of veggies and noodles and a platter of raw meat.
Then came dipping sauces (ponzu and shabu shabu) and sides of chopped green onion and grated daikon.
After systematically dunking and eating a plate of veggies and 1/2 a platter of meat, we’re stuffed.
“We had a table of 3 come in an polish off 3 plates of meat,” noted our server eyeing our still-half-full plate. There’s no way.
There is, however, a little room for dessert, which is included in the meal. I’ve got dairy problems, so my husband and I were given the non-dairy option you see below. An airy and light ending to a full dinner.
Shabu shabu isn’t cheap; It’s $40 per person and you must call ahead of time to order. But it is an adventure.
Hana Japanese Eatery
5524 North 7th Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85013
(602) 973-1238
Real Gardens for Real People garden tour
If you look at your yard and wonder what on earth you could do to make it more functional, interesting, eco-friendly, you might want to visit the Real Gardens for Real People garden tour.
The tour spans the Central Corridor and covers the yards of 6 homes and a school.
Some gardens feature wild flowers, others chickens, and still more showcase herbs and veggies. The yards also demonstrate — composting and water harvesting.
Mondays without meat?
What’s Cracking Good — Meat Free Mondays (maybe?)
My husband and I have talked about going vegetarian for years, but the idea of giving up our favorite ethnic food leaves us feeling both resentful and forlorn.
I’ve considered following the “If I can kill it, I can eat it” principle.
I already don’t eat a lot of pork or beef. How hard could it be to kill a chicken?
If you’ve watched a farmer shove a chicken in a metal cone and slit its throat in Food, Inc, you’ll see that it might not be so easy.
Go ahead, call me a hypocrite. I’m sure if I had to kill my own food, I’d be a vegetarian. And considering I already have lactose issues — that would mean I’d have to be vegan. As someone who thoroughly enjoys food, that thought makes me very, very sad.
A while back, I received a GOOP email (yes, I subscribe to Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP email) which talked about the dangers of the livestock industry and Paul McCartney’s group, Meat Free Monday.
One day a week. I could probably swing that. So I proposed it to my husband.
“Sure,” was his reply.
A day a week sans meat. We can do that.
For more info: MeatFreeMondays.com
Phoenix things to do: March 5 – 7
FRIDAY
Spring Fling Comedy event @ Madcap Theater
3 Digit Comedy (and one of my funniest friends) is putting on another comedy fest featuring 2 comedians from LA and 2 local talents. Whether the laughs are from the hilarity or awkwardness — they’ll undoubtedly be many.
MADCAP Theatres
Doors open @ 7 p.m. Showtime @ 8 p.m.
$10 dollars a the door.
***
Art Detour 22 @ Downtown
It’s First Friday and the downtown galleries and art spaces are open! Brave parking and join the throngs of people who mill about downtown looking at street vendors, art spaces, etc.
SATURDAY
Arizona Tree Climbing Championship @ Boyce Thompson Arboretum
If you’re looking for something new and different to do this weekend and have the time to drive the hour to Superior, the Annual Arizona Tree Climbing Championship might be just the event for you. Watch competitions such as aerial rescue, footlock and the master’s challenge. I know nothing of what these entail, but it sounds odd enough to actually be interesting.
Boyce Thompson Arboretum
37615 U.S. Highway 60
Superior, AZ 85273
7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$7.50 for adults, $3 for children 5-12
***
Great Arizona Beer Festival @ Tempe Town Lake
Try up to 24 3oz beer samples and get DRUNK. Choose from microbrews and craft beers, enjoy music, games, food.
Tempe Town Lake
80 W. Rio Salado Parkway
2-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
$40 in advance. $50 at the door. $20 for a designated driver ticket.
SUNDAY
Watch the 82nd annual Oscars @ Home
See the dresses, the jewels the pageantry of the annual Academy Awards! I personally would like to see Colin Firth win best actor and anything but Avatar for best picture.
6 p.m. on ABC
WEEKEND DEALS:
Free shipping on orders over $75 @ Urban Outfitters
Use coupon code SHIPIT at checkout to receive your discount. Ends Sunday at midnight.
10-12% off and free shipping & returns @ Boden
Shop Boden’s fun basics and get 12% off on Friday and 10% off on Saturday.
Butter Toast
It’s a spring blow out! Butter Toast will have $1-$3 pick-and-save bins and 30%-50% off select clothing items and accessories. Visit Friday from 11 a.m. -11 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Sunday 12-5 p.m.
Weekend deals
Free shipping on orders over $75 @ Urban Outfitters
Use coupon code SHIPIT at checkout to receive your discount. Ends Sunday at midnight.
10-12% off and free shipping & returns @ Boden
Shop Boden’s fun basics and get 12% off on Friday and 10% off on Saturday.
Butter Toast
It’s a spring blow out! Butter Toast will have $1-$3 pick-and-save bins and 30%-50% off select clothing items and accessories. Visit Friday from 11 a.m. -11 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Sunday 12-5 p.m.
20% off sweaters @ J. Crew
Ends Monday.
Pretty, pretty daffodils
Daffodils are on sale at Trader Joe’s for $1.49 a bunch. I got THREE yesterday — and they’re already pretty.
