"The Best Twenty-five of twenty-five," part II

Tonight I continue my itemization of the the twenty-five best "bests" of my twenty-fifth year. Beginning with...

6. The best concert

Sufjan Stevens at the Wiltern in Los Angeles, October 23, 2010. It was unequivocally the greatest combined celebration of outer space and dancing I have ever witnessed. My experience was actually incredibly similar to that of my friend, Casey. She saw him perform in Phoenix the night before and shared her thoughts about it on her blog, here

After the concert, I joined several of my friends in enjoying some good eats from a local Korean taco truck. That's right: Korean tacos. You can get anything in L.A.

7. The best wedding

I attended four in the last year. All were good, but Mike and Lindsay's was exceptional. The ceremony, which took place on the cliffs of Point Loma, was simple, picturesque, beautiful. The reception, which took place at our home, was intimate, lively, and one of the best parties I've been to in my life.

8. The best feminine hygiene product

For a considerable time I had been interested in finding a more eco-friendly alternative to tampons and maxi pads. After researching several brands of organic cotton tampons, cloth pads, sea sponges, and menstrual cups, I decided to order the Diva Cup. Excellent decision. Though it's a bit pricey, the fact that it can be reused for over a year indicates that, in the long run, it's a more economical option than disposable menstrual products. As an added bonus, I've noticed a significant decrease in the severity of my menstrual cramps since I switched to the Diva Cup. I'll never go back to tampons, and I would be remiss if I didn't share this revelation with any friends who are looking for a means of dealing with their lady times that is gentler on the environment and, ultimately, on the wallet.

9. The best new skill

Skills Month was a bust, but I still managed to pick up some helpful new knowledge and abilities this year. My favorite by far, however, is my newfound ability to milk a goat. During the week and a half that I spent WWOOFing on a goat farm in France, I went from barely being able to eke out a few drops from the poor goat's utter to filling a whole bucket with frothy milk in ten minutes flat. Though I took great pleasure and satisfaction in several of the tasks I was asked to carry out while on the farm, milking the goats was, without a doubt, my favorite chore.

10. The best Eastern European cuisine

It was so good. Since the evening that I visited Pomegranite Russian-Georgian Restaurant with Mike and Lindsay, I've been dreaming of going back. I've made several attempts at replicating their amazing borscht in my home kitchen, but I've yet to concoct anything remotely as delectable.

My sister is famous.

Lindsay was recently featured in an article in the La Mesa Patch, an online regional news source. Since I don't think Lindsay regularly reads my blog, I don't think she will be any the wiser if I pass along a link to the story. If you take a minute to read through the short piece, you will probably understand why Lindsay would be less than enthusiastic about me spreading the word of her small advance to fame: though it's supposed to be a piece about her workplace's weekly wine event, it's fleshed out with irrelevant and poorly incorporated snidbits about Lindsay's experiences with wine. I can't help but laugh as I read through it.

I think that my little sister deserves a better exposition of her employment at Ceramicafe Art Lounge and her relationship to wine in general, so I am now taking it upon myself to provide the world with a very brief, very unauthorized biography of my sister, Lindsay Janssen Smith.

On a weeknight or a weekend afternoon, if I'm lucky enough, I get to pay a visit to the apartment of Lindsay and Michael Smith. Unfailingly, I'm greeted with a spirited game of Yahtzee and something delicious to drink.

Upon entering Mike and Lindsay's place, I observe the tell-tale sign of a good host: a well-stocked wine rack. And I don't mean anything extensive or exceptionally fancy--you're sure to find a Charles Shaw or two amid the half-dozen or so bottles that they always have on hand--but it's enough to have a selection to choose from and for me, the guest, to feel like I'm not putting them out by accepting a glass.

I'm Lindsay's older sister, but I often feel that I should be looking up to her (and that's entirely aside from the fact that she's taller than me by a full quarter-inch). Lindsay is so well put-together. Throughout her high school and university studies, she was always a top student. She's a brilliant mathematician (a quality that shines brightly when it comes time to add up our Yahtzee scores; Mike calls her the human calculator) and a talented artist. Her creativity finds an outlet in her job as an assistant manager at a paint-your-own pottery art lounge, Ceramicafe, where it has been her responsibility for several years to paint sample pieces of the different products available.

Lindsay has great taste: in beers, wines, home decor, fashion, and, of course, in life partners. She and her hubby--who got married this January after having dated since high school--are an adorable couple and as amazing as they are as individuals are even more amazing as a unit. I love spending time with them and visiting them in their very tastefully furnished (Lindsay's influence) yet remarkably homey dwelling. Even if there were no adult beverages and no games, I would still love going there. But, knowing Mike and Lindsay and their unwavering spirit of hospitality, there will always be plenty of wine and plenty of Yahtzee to go around.

Married, Married, Married!

At last! They're hitched!

Here are just a few of many beautiful moments from Michael and Lindsay's wedding weekend.

Check out banner, Michael!

In just one week, Lindsay and Michael are getting married! Mike has been like a brother to me for years now and I'm overjoyed that he is finally going to be part of my family.

I'm also having a grand old time creating gilding, garnish, and assorted knick-knackery to decorate the house for the reception. I've already made yards of button garlands for adorning doorways, bookshelves, and table ends. And I'm in the process of making mini banners--bearing captions such as "Welcome," "Hooray For Love," and "Toilet"--to hang in various places throughout the house.

I'm looking forward to sharing more of my crafting creations for the wedding after the big day.