Posts Tagged ‘Beau Ties of Vermont’

I’m your ice cream man, stop me when I’m passing tie…

May 4, 2011

An open letter to Mother Nature:

Hiya Ma,

I can tell you’re angry. I don’t know what someone said or did to you to make you so upset, but I hope it wasn’t me. Oh, sure, you’ve given us crappy Aprils before, but my calendars all agree that it’s May now. Today started out with a little bit of sunshine, so I dressed accordingly, without checking the thermometer. You know that I’m not a weather checker: I know you can and will do your job, and you don’t need me playing armchair quarterback like that Tom Skilling. Later on in the day, the clouds had swallowed that star that keeps us warm, and the thermometer in my car (which has a sunroof, not an overcast roof!!) reading said 45 degrees.

Whatever we can do, please let me know and I’ll tell everybody. I’m sure we’re all ready for a collective “I’m sorry” so we can revive our spring.

Sunnily yours,

Brooke

Anyone got a stamp?

Yeah, we Chicagolanders love to talk about the weather. Unofficial stats put forth by at least one blogger (me) note that 92% of elevator conversations speak entirely on what’s going on outside. The other 8%, by the way, are broken up this way: 5%-Bears; 3%-fact that coffee hasn’t been had yet.

The temps just aren’t lending themselves to a good Bow Tie Week. As you can see from my ensemble pic, I brought out the seersucker (just the blazer, not the full suit–gots to be hots). Honestly, seersucker isn’t meant to be shivered in, nor is it used to having a trench coat worn over it. The nerve!

So, let’s pretend it was summer as we describe the Bow Tie du Jour. It’s a Murrell Special from Beau Ties of Vermont. Now, I’m not sure if it was originally from there, or if they fashioned it out of a regular necktie. I think that’s a great service…I have a couple of strips that I want them to make a bow tie out of. Anyway, this looks like it may have been an Hermès in its prior life…

Thanks again, Dan, for loaning me a few of your precious bow ties!

Speaking of Few, tomorrow is a big day at Few Spirits. The first batch will be run through the mash tank and put into the fermentation container. Cross your fingers that those little yeasty beasties will get hongry on those sugars and produce some yummy booze.

Thanks for reading…Brooke

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Can’t spell “Robert Saucier” without T-I-E

March 1, 2011

What is a Robert Saucier, you demand to know? Well, that’s my dad, Robert Michel Saucier. On this day (which is a day late), February 28, it’s his birthday. He’s in the picture to the right, in the glasses, DEFinitely one of the top three good lookin’ guys in there. Sheesh, that must have been 20 years ago. Looks like an Easter picture. Mom will know when it was, either based on her scarf/outfit or Dad’s glasses.

Dad is New Orleans-bred, Memphis-careered and Florida-retired. He likes the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Memphis (State) Tigers, the New Orleans Saints. He played baseball as a boy, racquetball as a man and golf throughout. He walked away from a successful career to become The Man, and then sold that company to ease into the Floridays. He raised three sons, lost one and found a woman who has informed him every step of the way why he should be married to her for 45 years (and counting). He has imparted wisdom with equal parts humor, timeliness, impatience and patience. He’s 73 but acts 37…well, maybe 47. Happy Birthday, Dad. This tie’s for you.

Kleenex, please…

Okay, the Tie du Jour was a gift from my friend Janet, many months ago. It’s a stunning Jerry Garcia strip, all pinks and blues and yellows on a mildly olive field. It ended up being perfect that I wore it Monday, because I met with my good family friend, Hank McHorris, who spent a good deal of time experiencing Grateful Dead shows in his youth.

We have a new category, maybe even two. This photo to the right is Jay Lytle, who was addressing the Evanston Chamber board of directors about the upcoming sesquicentennial celebration for Evanston. Yes, it’s been 150 years since Evanston was founded, and Jay is part of the group who will be planning the year-long celebration (so I guess it’s actually going to last longer, since the kick-off is this month). He can be the founding member of the FMWT (Former Mayors With Ties) or BFWT (Bank Founders With Ties). Although, you know, I think I snapped a shot or two of an Evanston mayor whilst at the Civic Center. So, Jay, since you are one of the founders of First Bank & Trust, BFWT it is.

One of my best contributors, Dan Murrell, sent in this pic of his attempt to spice up a black tie event. With this multi-colored number from Beau Ties of Vermont, he definitely succeeded.

Thanks for reading…Brooke

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