POCKET LINT.

ONLINE (AND BEYOND): THE BEST CRUMPLED TWENTY

The Best Link Today:

If you're anything like me, you spend significant amounts of time marveling at people's inappropriate Facebook status updates from "Sally is deeply depressed and crying out for help" to "Tom is sleeping on the bathroom floor between puking bouts."

Anyway, I heartily approve of this website's "How To Suck at Facebook" instructions (although maybe he should have added something about the new "post your celebrity doppelganger" trend).  Why does everyone think they look like Kursten Dunst?

Now, I'm off to shamelessly "market" my site.  Become my fan!  Become my fan!  BECOME MY FAN!!!

xo - N.

 

PALM SPRINGS/VA/MT/VT: THE BEST ARTISANAL RESORT PRODUCTS AND THE BEST WAY TO SAY ADIEU TO A YEAR WELL DONE

I know.  I know.  I keep apologizing and then being bad again, but I'm off on yet another jaunt and will not be LINTing Christmas week.  Actually, that's sort of not true.  I'll be LINTing in the sense that I'll be scouting new finds to share (though I still owe some Pittsburgh and NYC stuff), but I won't be posting regularly until January 2, 2010.

Anyway, I thought I'd leave you with a link to my latest little story in Travel & Leisure (see above) about resorts that farm or crush and create their own beauty and food products.  Short and sweet, just like me and my attention span.  And my patience.  And my fuse.  And my family.  And the time it takes me to devour french fries.  And the time it takes me to read a trashy detective novel.  And the time that will pass between now and my next post in 2010.

So, happy holidays of all kinds, folks.  Good tidings to all and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!  (I know I already have my sequined number picked out).  Well, I mean one only has so many sequin dresses from which to choose, right?

Love ya.  Mean it.

xo - N.

MD (AND BEYOND): THE BEST POMEGRANATE ICED TEA

I like an antioxidant as much as the next girl, but I often feel like most pomegranate drinks are like so many cranberry or grapefruit "juice" options: overly sweetened and almost thick.  So, while I know this might fall under the category of: "How the hell can someone get excited about BLANK?", I just have to rave about my new favorite beverage of the moment: Honest Tea's Pomegranate White Tea.

Yup.  It even eclipsed cherry coke zero.  First of all, it's not super sweet at all and it doesn't taste all diet-y either.  It has a little caffeine in it, but not enough to offend my delicate sensibilities (and by "delicate sensibilities" I mean that it doesn't make me all cracked out like a meth addict in withdrawal).

Also, I feel all virtuous drinking it because of the acai and stuff.  I just love it.  Honestly.  Honest Tea.  Honest Abe.  Honest to goodness.  Okay.  I'll stop.

xo - N.

DC (AND BEYOND): THE BEST MARY JANES EVER!!!

Until Michelle Obama showed up with all her forward gowns by the likes of Jason Wu and Naeem Khan, most people hardly considered Washington, D.C. the land of fashion plates (at least since Jackie O's time).

In fact, the pundit parades can be sort of frightening in the style department, especially when it comes to hair.  By the way, has anyone noticed how incredibly hard on Obama the media has been lately?  Like, literally, it's like the press turned a corner last week and completely forgot that he inherited this disasterous sitch--that is hardly going to be solved quickly--from someone else.

But I digress . . . ahem.  This is about mary janes, not politics.  I was in DC over Thanksgiving and found myself happily perusing a Georgetown Barneys Coop (my temple) with my family.  There, I discovered the above amazing "mary janes" (though they're hardly the traditional interpretation), which look even better on my feets.  Yup.  FeetSSSS.

Anyway, just thought I'd spread the joy, as they do truly make me feel very cheerful.  They're even comfortable, which is basically miraculous.  In fact, it must be this year's first holiday miracle.

Next up: Cure Hunger and settle World Peace.

xo - N.

DELAWARE (BETHANY): THE BEST SHOP IN BETHANY BEACH

Well, it's September 11th.

Do you think that date will ever sound normal?  I sort of felt like I had to acknowledge that fact because it's like an elephant in the room before moving on to talking about something of real importance: a cute boutique amidst souvenir shops in Bethany Beach!

Sometimes, when you're down and troubled and you need a helping hand and nothing, no nothing is going right . . .  Okay, sorry.  Sometimes, when the weather gets crappy or there's just too much sand in my sandwiches, I'm moved to take a break from beaching to go shopping, ladies and gentleman.

Although nearby Rehoboth does offer a slew of outlets, Bethany Beach is hardly Madison Avenue or even Melrose Avenue, if you know what I mean.  It's small town for reals.  Still, I found solace in one sweet shop called Rose Garden (there's one in Rehoboth too), where I found familiar friends like Lockheart bags and Tibi Skirts.

Anyway, on top of having a sweet little selection, the shop also was having a 40%-off sale and, though I don't usually do Trina Turk, I ended up buying the above romper in a sort of gray/green color.  Or maybe it's brown.  Whatever.  It's cute.

So, if you ever head that way, make sure to stop in.  It's like a home away from home.  If you spend your life trolling boutiques.  For work.  I have to for work.

xo - N.

DELAWARE VIA BROOKLYN (AND BEYOND): THE BEST HOMEMADE PULLED PORK WITH VINEGAR SAUCE

Admittedly, trips to the beach are--like any vacation--all about the food.

And the ocean, I guess.  But whatever.

Still, it's not just boardwalk treats that tantalize (although a frozen banana sounds pretty damn awesome right now), as The Drewser's family cooks up a delicious storm of spicy pastas and BBQ-ed treats too.

This year, though, the winner (for looks alone) had to be my sister-in-law K.'s homemade Pulled Pork with Vinegar Sauce sandwiches, juicy and tangy with coleslaw in tow (set up D.I.Y.-style on the table pictured below).  I mean, does the above look like a late summer delight or what? (**Special thanks to R.T. for "styling" the sandwich oh so nicely).

Anyway, K.'s been kind enough to share the amazing recipe. And she says its relatively simple, although she's totally one of those gifted cooks that just finds cooking simple (natural talent and all that jazz).  I've yet to taste a failed meal by her.

So, may your pulled pork be juicy.  Good night.  And good luck.

xo - N.

[CLICK IMAGES TO EXPAND: K. Preparing Lunch, The Table Laid Out, Coleslaw Served Atop The Pork]

DELAWARE (VIA P.A.): THE BEST HERBAL WATER

I realize that it takes a special kind of weirdo to be obsessive about water . . .

But, well, I guess I'm a special kind of weirdo (as evidenced by this entire LINT-filled site, especially the baked Salt & Vinegar Kettle Chip freak out of February 09).

When we arrived in the town of Bethany Beach last week (which is comprised of like three streets of shops, most of which sell frozen custard, salt water taffy or X-L tees), I immediately remembered that last year I'd become somewhat consumed with this herbal water they sell at the coffee shop in town.  Lo and behold, they still carried the stuff: Ayala's Herbal Water.

What is herbal water, you might ask?  Well, I guess it's really like packaged spa water.  There's no sugar or carbs or chemicals or anything in the stuff, so you get to feel virtuous while you drink it.  Also, it tastes like happiness and relaxation in a bottle (at least to me).

I wasn't feeling quite up to snuff for part of my trip, so it felt like at least some sort of pleasurable treat that wouldn't make me feel sicker. I've only tasted the Ginger Lemon Peel and the Lavender Mint, but rumor has it (via my sister and mother-in-law) that the Lemongrass is good too.  I'm just always kind of afraid of lemon grass cause I think it's basically cilantro in disguise.  And not a very convincing disguise.

Anyway, turns out they sell this happy, refreshing stuff all over the country and even at my neighborhood health food destination Erewhon.  Bring. It. On. Herb.

xo - N.

MARYLAND (EN ROUTE TO B.W.I.): THE BEST CRAB PICKLES

Welcome to the Monday of all Mondays (which is not a Monday at all, but a Tuesday).

I don't know if it's just residual back-to-school trauma from my youth (brought back in violent flashbacks by the hordes of kids clomping to class in fall woolen plaids, despite the 90˚ weather), but Labor Day Weekend's end always feels like a signal that it's time to get back to serious work.

Booooo.  Hissss.

That said, I'd like to spend this week dwelling on the vacation I just finished: why confront the pressure, when you can live in ostrich-style denial?

So, you all know (if you're paying attention, AHEM) that The Drewser and I meet his fam on the east coast's Delaware shore or Chesapeake at the end of most summers.  And, even if you don't know that (because you were doodling during class!---See?  I'm in teacher mode!  Is that gum you're chewing?  No gum at school!), then maybe you read my insane ravings about the out-of-this-world softshell crab sandwich I love from Stevensville Crab Shack?

Well, this time around, the Crab Shack was our first stop on the way to the beach.  (I'm no dummy). And I noticed a new item on the menu (or new to my knowledge): Crab Pickles.  I just had to ask what that even means.  Turns out "Crab Pickles" are deep fried pickles with Old Bay seasoning (traditionally used to season steamed crabs during delish crab feasts--see below!)

Now, I LOVE fried pickles and I order them whenever I see them on a menu.  Previously, my favorite were these sort of fluffy versions (with tangy seasoning) that I tasted once at BLT Burger in Vegas.  I didn't order these on the way to the beach, but we stopped in again on the way to the airport and I just had to try them.  And, trust me, they were well worth it!

Not only were they salty and crispy and spicy and actually the fried outer layer seemed to be seasoned with dill too (so good!), but they were spears (instead of the usual "chip" shape), so the experience was like eating mozzarella sticks or fried zucchini.  Instead of the fried outer shell falling apart or crumbling off, it was like a solid crunchy, flavorful masterpiece that seemed like it would have retained its shape even without the pickle inside.  Still, the outer shell perfectly complimented the inner dill spear.  So so good.  Especially served with their tartar sauce, which is incredibly tangy and caper-filled or Ranch dipping sauce.

Now I have yet another Stevensville Crab Shack treat over which to obsess.  Guess I'm in a bit of a pickle.

Hee hee.  Sorry.

xo - N.

[CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE: Me and My Pickle Happiness (I Look Serious, Right? Well, I Am!), Our Traditional Steamed Crab With Old Bay on Newspaper Feast]

LA (AND BEYOND): THE BEST NEW BLACKBERRY

After a very unfortunate incident with my Blackberry Curve (it experienced a quick painless death and never suffered, I am told and I choose to believe), I went to my corner Sprint store and was quickly talked into a brand new Blackberry Tour instead of the inexpensive replacement.  BAD, LINTY!

I felt guilty for like a millisecond (jeez, thank goodness that's over--I almost broke a sweat).  But then I went for it and since then it's been a love affair of epic proportions: I'm talking sweeping music, feeding each other chocolate dipped strawberries, late night phone calls for hours on end, butterflies in my tummy etc. 

Ew.  "Feeding each other chocolate dipped strawberries"--that is so cheesy and molested and Bachelorette.

Anyway, that's all.  I just wanted to tell you all how much I love it.  The icons are cooler, the design is sleeker, the keypad is this great rubbery consistency and has these impressions for your fingers, so typing on a hand-held has NEVER been easier.  (I find an iPhone very tricky in that regard).  Instead of just Brickbreaker, the thing has a word game (love!) and even Texas Hold 'Em.  It's just the bestest Blackberry a girl could ask for . . . Oh, so dreamy.

xo - N.

LA (AND BEYOND): THE BEST NEW SUMMER TREATS TO TRY AND REPORT BACK TO ME ON

So, I'm too hot to be inventive or to change the sizes of all these great other pics I have in my arsenal.  Instead, I'll just tell you that Claudette and I spotted the above ice cream-filled Rice Krispy treats at Whole Foods the other day and Mike & Ike popsicles at the new shmancy Pavilions.  I'm expanding lately, so I'd really appreciate someone ELSE trying these sweet new mofos for me.  Yup, then I'll ask you to pee for me too.  Also, would you mind cleaning my house?

xo - N.