Peppe the Cat, originally uploaded by thomasr9.

It's Sunday. Have some Peppe.

New Huffington Post Piece: Coffee And Pregnancy

In light of the recent nonsense I've had to put up with about drinking coffee while pregnant (egads!) below is my latest Huffington Post piece about it:

I'm Pregnant: Just Give Me Some Coffee And No One Gets Hurt

I'm a big fan of character-driven comedy -- think Austin Powers, Borat, and anything SNL or In Living Color ever put out.

Pretty much everyone has seen The Phone Call, The Christmas Tree and Mother's Day. Above is yet another from the same creators, which came out over a year ago. How did I miss this?

The Strangest Note I Have Ever Come Home To

Strange note to come home to, originally uploaded by La Pauline.

I'm not sure how a toothbrush falls from the medicine cabinet into the cat littler under the sink, but at least it's not back in the cabinet.

Also: we named our new WiFi connection Peppe's Paradise, because we are Krazy Kat people.

Still Here!

TR as Superfan, originally uploaded by La Pauline.

Apologies all around about the lack of updates around here. The WiFi connection that I usually steal at the Murray Hill apartment has been down. Tomorrow I'm getting my own router, (which will be locked to interlopers) which should solve the Internet issues.

In the meantime, enjoy this pic of TR looking slightly like an SNL Superfan. It's in honor of a certain team that we like to call Da Bears.

It's Christine's Bridal Shower!

Ms. Christine, a friend from middle school, is getting hitched in July. To fete the occasion we got together and showered her with tasteful, but sexy, lingerie and flip flops.

Full set is here.

Carey et moi, the city girls who washed up on shore via the train, as we often do.


I was kind of jealous of all her lacy and satin goodies.


Something blue?


Where's the back of these?


A snorkel set! It goes with everything.


If it's not monogrammed, then what's the point?


50 romantic and sensual games! In such a small box! Who knew?


Jen worked very hard on this.


It was much appreciated.


Christine et Cate


Christine et moi

She's Your Queen To Be!

I'm off to my friend Christine's bridal shower today in Connecticut. That said, below is a clip from Eddie Murphy's Coming to America.

When it comes to weddings, everyone always tries to one up each other, yet no one that I know has ever hired a tenor to sing "She's Your Queen To Be." Just sayin'...

Average Rent In Manhattan April 2009

Average Rent April 2009, originally uploaded by La Pauline.

Above are the average rents in Manhattan, based on closed deals. Contrary to what The New York Times reported on Thursday, prices have not hit rock bottom, and owners are certainly not giving apartments away. $1500 is still your average price of entry for a place in Manhattan these days.

Which isn't to say owners aren't willing to negotiate. Just this week I was helping a friend whose landlord wanted to raise their thrid floor walk up in the West Village to almost $5000. That's a lot of money for a cozy three bedroom, regardless of neighborhood. Her place is super cute and smack in the middle of the West Village.

They noodled back and forth until the owner finally offered $4700 and threw in a washer/dryer in the unit. That's a score if I ever heard of one. Come winter, those three ladies are going to be thrilled with that washer/dryer.

The Pregnant Glow: It Comes From A Bottle

, originally uploaded by La Pauline.

Lately people have been telling me that I've got a glow about me, and that overall, I look pretty darn good for eight months pregnant. While I love a compliment as much as anyone else, I have to admit that it's not all that difficult to look like a functioning human being when you're pregnant.

I walk around Manhattan all the time, and often I see pregnant women who look as if they've been hit by a bus. They're shuffling down Third Avenue in some sort of velour track suit concoction, hair a mess and an iced coffee in their hand. It's not quite summer, and yet they're wearing flip flops. Blergh!

The key to looking good while pregnant is to have a solid relationship with the shower. It rouses you from sleep on those days when you just want to stay in bed, and it makes you one step closer to feeling human, when there's one growing inside you. It sounds elementary, but clean hair and five minutes with some make up can make you forget about your 40 pound weight gain. Yeah, maybe it is all baby and amnio fluid, but numbers don't lie and no woman wants to weigh as much as a lean man. Cosmetics offer some nice smoke and mirrors.

I only say this because in New York City, where vanity rules, I see so many women letting themselves go, all in the name of Motherhood. I disagree with that. Just last week I got my haircut, my eyebrows waxed as well as a bikini wax. (The goods are going to be on display in about a month! Gotta look sharp!) Two weeks ago I had my way at the Estee Lauder counter. Motherhood's a beautiful thing, and a little eye shadow can make it even more so.

Let's look alive, MmmmmKay?

Random Pics From The Weekend

I scooted up to Boston this weekend for a quick getaway and took a few shots along the way. The Volvo Ocean Race was docked for a few weeks, and everyone came out to see these sick sailboats.

I love going out to the suburbs because it reminds me of what a City Slicker I am. I wanted to show my dad the Bugaboo I got for for my shower, but the Babies R' Us in the 'burbs didn't carry it, claiming it was "too high end." Really? It seems that in Manhattan you can get one at every corner bodega. In fact, I'm not sure you're allowed to have children in Manhattan if you don't have a Bugaboo.

Outside of NYC, it seems that everyone has something called a Snap N' Go, or whatever, which goes from car seat to stroller. I got the hard sell on them, but suburbanites overlook the fact that New Yorkers don't drive. We walk. Everywhere. We get on on the bus. Cars are what you do when you get out of the city.

And now for some photos.

TR, the naturalist


Snail trails


Everywhere I go, I find stray cats.


This was the curtain that covered a dressing room in the Puma attraction


Pop et moi and large masts


Volvo made out of Legos

Root Canals And Other Pleasantries

Two weeks ago I had a root canal. It was my second one since 2000, and it was pretty much a quick, routine deal. A tooth that I knew was broken suddenly started rousing me from sleep about once a week. My awesome dentist patched it up quite nice in less than two hours. I squeezed in the procedure between a lease signing and a showing.

This past Tuesday afternoon a front tooth of mine, which had never given me an ounce of trouble, flared up in what was nothing less than weapons grade pain. I couldn't eat, sleep or do much of anything. I outwardly sobbed. Wednesday morning, I was back in the dentist's office, and the staff was confused as to why I was there...again. What kind of a person gets two root canals in less than two weeks?

I'm back to normal now, although the front of my face is oddly swollen and I slightly resemble Rocky from that movie, Mask. I'm rather dopey, though, from all the Novocaine. It occurred me that this must be what it feels like to be dim, with no interest in anything around me, except cartoons.

In light of my recent adventures in endodontistry, I give you this video. In this economy, smart woman date not for money, but for health insurance.

It's Peppe In A Box!

It's Peppe In A Box!, originally uploaded by La Pauline.

Pep, who spends most nights literally sleeping on my head, was curled up in a little box this morning. He took up every square inch of it.

It reminds me of another orange and white Persian who likes boxes. Mozart!

It's Monday. Have Some Valentino.

, originally uploaded by La Pauline.

No one is enjoying all the new baby gifts as much as Valentino. All of a sudden there are new boxes to climb into and bags to attack. He's easily amused.

Push Presents, La Pauline Style

Long before The New York Times thought it was a trend, and the hipsterati, in turn, thought it was bizarre and bourgeois, I thought that Push Presents were the norm. My dad got pretty rings for my mom each time she had a kid, and growing up I though that it was a nice gesture. Don't all men get jewels for their wives for major milestones and holidays?

The way I see it, if I'm going through the pain and trouble of having a baby, it would be nice if there was a trinket or two waiting for me at the end of it all. Most women make the mistake, though, of asking for expensive diamonds and the like. Keep your diamonds for your cotillions and your weddings. Push Presents should be simple and practical, which, incidentally, is the Tao of Pauline: Keep it simple and practical and you'll never disappointed.

On my wish list is:
Baccarat's Psydelic Earrings. I have the matching necklace, which I wear almost daily and get tons of compliments on. I struggle though, to find matching earrings. These would be wonderful.


While we're on the Baccarat kick, I love this Tourmaline necklace. It's simple, but it still has a twist of modernity that keeps it interesting. It's also a large necklace, and I like large accessories.


I could def shove some diapers and bottles in this. Louis Vuitton bags are worth every penny because they're tough as nails and you can run them into the ground. If and when they do break or fray, LV fixes them for you, often for a very low price..


Motherhood is rough. This 1982 Bordeaux would be a nice salve.