Watching Senator Kennedy’s funeral reminds me of my high school days. Growing up, one of my best friends loved the Kennedys, I mean she was obsessed. My friend adored Jack but had a soft spot for Teddy. On a class field trip to D.C., she convinced me to ditch the Sackler Gallery to help her search for Ted Kennedy. Walking down the Mall, we ditched our class and stealthily made our way to the Capitol hoping to catch a glimpse of Teddy. Next thing I know some kind gentleman, mistaking us as interns, recommended that we take the underground monorail to Senate’s office building.

We did not find Ted that day but Steph, the ever persistent politico, insisted that we stop in Joe Biden’s office before making our way back to the bus.  I feel fortunate for my unofficial tour of the Capitol, it is the closest I will ever come to Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and I have my friend and her beloved Teddy to thank.

With summer quickly coming to a close, it also means the end of fresh produce. This is a great recipe for all of those summer tomatoes and cucumbers growing in the garden.

Ingredients:
1 Green Pepper
1 Cucumber
1 Ripe Tomato ( I used several grape tomatoes)
3 Cups of  Uncooked Pasta Shells
1/2 Lime
1 cup of chopped Cilantro
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan Cheese

1. Chop tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, and cilantro into small pieces. I like to season the vegetables with salt and pepper to bring out their flavor.

2. Cook and drain pasta. After draining the pasta, coat the bottom of the pot with olive oil, pour pasta back into the pot and mix. Add some salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Let the pasta cool.

3. Combine the pasta and vegetables in a large serving bowl. Add more cheese and lime juice.

4. Chill in refrigerator and serve.

Do you remember lanyards, those silly ropes preppy guys used to wear around their necks? That is one preppy item I am glad to see has gone back into hiding. The preppiest lanyards sported the name of lacrosse brands, like Brine or STX. At the end of a prep’s lanyard, you could find a bunch of keys and the all-important bottle opener.

According to Wikipedia, the origins of the lanyard are steeped in military tradition, they were “used to connect a pistol, sword or whistle (for signaling) to a uniform on a semi-permanent basis.” Does this mean lanyard toters are harboring a secret wish to be a warrior?

Old School Lanyard, would have looked cuter in pink and green. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

On further investigation, I located a lacrosse forum, discussing the invention of the lanyard. According to the tag on a Brine lanyard: “Brine introduced the modern day lanyard at Hobart College in the mid-80′s as a way to keep summer lacrosse campers from losing their room keys. The lanyard is now the standard tool for holding keys, I.D. cards, and other important items.” Interesting…since no one had key chains prior to 1985.

As long as lanyards don’t make a come-back, I will remain a happy camper.

Ladies, it’s that dreaded time of year, when guys around the nation check-out to drink beer and draft their fantasy football players. This late-August ritual is precursor to an unbelievably long season of watching our guys spend the next 16 plus weeks yelling at the tv with laptops in hand, keeping tabs on their players. When they are not watching games, they spend their time reading football gossip blogs and watching college football, hoping to get the one-up for next season. The thought of all of that football makes me want to scream…and not for my favorite team (go Ravens!).

It’s just a damn shame that Project Runway doesn’t air on Sunday afternoons.

The preppiest beach houses are usually passed down from generation to generation, think Kennedys’ Palm Beach house. From 10 bedroom estates in the Hamptons to quaint shacks tucked away on the Outer Banks, the summer home is a beacon of preppydom.

Beach House Essentials:

• Sand – preppy beach houses have sand and lots of it. Who can resist coming in from the beach and curling up on a nice sandy sofa.
• Oil Painting of the surrounding dunes – Nothing says “established” more than a painting of the the surrounding beach– before everyone else built their house
• Sea Shells – piled high in assorted baskets
• A shaggy dog with a bandanna tied around its neck.
• Grandmummy’s patchwork quilt – the cutest beach blanket
• A bar sign quoting Jimmy Buffett, such as “it’s five o’clock somewhere”
• Pineapples and Palm trees. Both pineapples and palm tree motifs are extremely popular with preppies.

Palm trees and Pineapples, what could be preppier?

And remember, refer to your beach house as a “cottage” no matter what the size.