entertainment « Poor & Pretty

Poor & Pretty on Better Connecticut

By Sami, on February 6th, 2012

I was on Better Connecticut today with Scot Haney and Kara Sundlun! Check out my segment below. If you can’t view the video below, watch it here.

Note: I did get a little nervous and goofed! My soaps are NOT animal-based! They are 100% free of animal fats and by-products and aren’t testing on animals, either.

Autumn in New England: Things to do

By Sami, on September 28th, 2011

I found this via Pinterest a few days ago, shortly before Mish & I had a conversation about how there’s so much to do in New England during Autumn. Here are a few things I’m planning on doing this Fall:

+ Exhibiting at the Manchester Art Association Annual Craft Fair, October 29, 10 am – 3 pm.
I am beyond excited to exhibit at my very first craft fair, at Manchester Community College! With just about a month left until the fair, I plan on posting ideas for table designs, packaging, and other process-type things. More info about the fair here.

+ Apple picking!
My favorite place to pick apples is Roger’s Orchards in Southington. I have a lot of good memories going apple picking here as a kid with my family. “Pick-Your-Own” is open at both of their locations on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10:00-5:00, weather permitting. Also, their apple cider and apple cider doughnuts are delish!

+ Southington Apple Harvest Festival
Speaking of apples and Southington, I’m going to have to find time to go to the Southington Apple Harvest Festival, too! There are always some great crafters exhibiting there, plus contests {like pie-eating!}, and the best apple fritters on this Earth! The Festival is open beginning this weekend, September 30-Oct 2, and next weekend, Oct 7-9. Hours vary by day, check the schedule here.

+ Halloween Knights at the CT Renaissance Faire.
And what would my Fall be without a trip to the CT Renaissance Faire in Hebron? Stan, Michele, Jeff, baby Noah and I are going October 15th, to witness the Halloween Knights event. In addition to the “regular” shows, games, and other fun things to do, Halloween Knights extends the faire from 6 to 8pm, when all sorts of ghosts, zombies and other haunted creatures of the night come out to spook. They also have a fantastic Thriller dance and, last year, there was a haunted hay ride! The Faire opened last weekend and runs every Saturday & Sunday through October 16th.

+ Scenic Leaf-Turning Ride.
When I was younger, my Dad used to take us on scenic leaf-turning rides to the Yankee Candle Factory in Deerfield, MA. It was always such a magical and special experience for me. I don’t know if Stan and I will be going to the Yankee Candle Factory, but I hope we take some kind of scenic drive while the leaves are changing.

+ Fancy Drinks & Candy Apples
I’m not a huge fan of caramel apples, but I do love candy apples! If I don’t eat one at the Ren Faire or Harvest Festival, I’ll probably host a candy apple making party. As for fancy drinks, I do love making & drinking chai tea lattés throughout the fall and winter.

What are your favorite things to do this time of year? Know of any really good haunted hay rides or haunted houses?

New York Fall Renaissance Faire

By Sami, on August 22nd, 2011

Yes, I love Renaissance Faires. Just a few months ago, I went to the CT Robin Hood Springtime Festival for the first time, but this past weekend, I was really excited to return to the New York Renaissance Faire — where my love for ren faires was born many, many years ago!

I dressed as a witch {a good witch, of course! Though, back then, everyone believed they were all bad witches}, and I was even brazen enough to stand next to a priest — ha!

Above are some highlights of my costume — feather hair pins {I made them myself with swan/goose feathers I found on the ground in Wickham Park. Don’t worry, I washed and sanitized those feathers endlessly}, a pretty feather and bead hair clip given to me by a friend, a brown belt, witchy necklaces, brown buckle booties, and even a black money pouch {I also had rocks in there, but I’m not sure why}.

I was accompanied by the boyfriend, my friends Michele and Jeff {above, left, dressed as a dragon tamer} and Jeff’s son, Noah the dragon, who was endlessly amused by the faeries wandering about the faire.

These faeries put my birthday costume to shame!

Zounds! A lake dragon!

…I wish I had taken more photos of the faire itself, but I was too busy eating ginormous turkey legs and drinking freshly squeezed lemonade. There’s tons to do at the faire — even more than the CT one — including a human chess game, archery tournaments, jousting, a singing gravedigger, Washing Well Wenches, axe throwing, and tons of awesome shops. The faire runs through September 25th, so plan your trip soon! Read more about the NY Renaissance Faire and buy tickets here.

Wardrobe Envy: Lucy Fernandez

By Sami, on August 10th, 2011

I’ve been obsessing over Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High, the late 80s/early 90s series that gave birth to {literally} Degrassi: The Next Generation {I watched that, too, until all the characters changed}. I could go on and on about how Degrassi has always been the most intelligent, informative and all-around amazing young adult television show, but I promise I won’t. Let’s just say, when I have kids, they’re definitely watching it.

Anyway, I’ve always loved 80s fashion — okay, some 80s fashion. It just seems so bright and fun, two adjectives I try to incorporate into my daily outfits. Lucy Fernandez {played by Anais Granofsky} has an especially great wardrobe. Including the one shown in the photo above, here are a few of my favorite outfits: