Friday, May 24, 2013

Feature Friday with Elena

Today's interview is with Elena of a casarella. She does some great crafty stuff (like this awesome picnic basket) and is a funny blogger, to boot!

1. Fast food or pizza?
Definitely pizza.  I have vivid, early memories of crying when my parents tried to take me to McDonald's.   My children have inherited my aversion to fast food which is good (though not always convenient).

2. I notice that you live in California.  I have always wondered: is it 'special-er' there?

With apologies to all the other places, the answer is yes.  Yes it is.   And this is not an uninformed opinion.  I have lived in six other states (read more about that here: http://www.acasarella.net/2012/02/where-you-from.html) and as much as I've loved them all, California is indeed special-er.   Case in point: I spent this past weekend at my sister-in-law's house in LA.  While there, my daughters (ages 8 and 12) befriended the loveliest drag queen while walking down Larchmont Street.  She gave us her card and invited them to high tea at Biltmore.  She promised to wear, "the dress with the bustle"' for the occasion.  This stuff just never happened when we lived in Milwaukee. 

3. Tell us how you really feel about grosgrain.

I feel like it needs a new name.  Beyond that, I am pretty neutral towards this particular embellishment.

4. If you could visit anyplace for a week, where would you go?
Italy.  I am half Italian and have never been to the motherland. 
pic courtesy of Paradise in the World


5. Do you have a secret talent that doesn't involve craft materials?
I can recite the first fourteen lines of the Canterbury Tales in Middle English.  Anything after line fourteen and you're on your own.   (Have I mentioned that I used to teach English?  http://www.acasarella.net/2012/02/getting-acquainted-what-do-you-do.html)

6.  What was the last band you saw in concert?
The Doobie Brothers.  I saw them with my husband at one of his work functions.  
I know, I know, you thought they were dead.   
They're not.

7.  Sky blue or navy?
           Sky Blue. 
No, navy.
No, definitely sky blue.

8.  Have you started pinning things in preparation for your daughter's wedding?
Surprisingly, no.  But my husband does have regular nightmares about paying for two weddings so at least one of us is freaking out prematurely.


9.  Fruity drinks or hard liquor?
Actually, I don't drink.  And for the record I am neither an alcoholic nor a Mormon (<--a distinct possibility amongst craft bloggers ;)  I just don't like it.  If, however, someone were to put a gun to my head I would definitely choose a glass of sangria over a martini.


10.  Do you have a "go-to" blogger whose posts you hate to miss? 
Amy at While Wearing Heels
John & Sherry at Young House Love
Karianne at Thistlewood Farm
Linda at It all Started With Paint
Adrianne at Happy Hour Projects
Mary Beth at Cupcakes & Crinoline
Kelly at Eclectically Vintage
Heather & Vanessa at At The Picket Fence

I'm going to stop now or we could be here all day....

Kirby here:  Thanks to Elena for playing with us here at Women Who Blog!!
Posted by at
Labels: ,

31 comments:

  1. acasarellaMay 24, 2013 at 6:48 AM

    Thanks, Kirby!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Amy of While Wearing HeelsMay 24, 2013 at 7:14 AM

    LOVE this series mostly because of the crazy questions. My favorite question was if Elena had already started a pin board for her daughters' weddings. I am surprised that she hasn't :).

    ReplyDelete
  3. acasarellaMay 24, 2013 at 7:54 AM

    Amy, I think that it helps that I have a lot of young(er) friends who are getting married. I can focus all of my energy on them. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tara @ SuburbleMay 24, 2013 at 8:19 AM

    This interview is awesome! Elena - you are fabulous.

    I love that your last concert was the Doobie Brothers!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. acasarellaMay 24, 2013 at 9:12 AM

      Tara--it was kind of funny. My husband's firm does a yearly event at this great outdoor venue here in San Diego. Last year we saw Chris Isaak and he was excellent. I felt really old at the Doobie Brothers, though, b/c half of my husband's coworkers didn't know any of their songs. (Too young.) Not that I'm a huge Doobie Brothers fan but I do have some pretty vivid memories of the 70's ;)

      Delete
  5. Tina@WhatWeKeepMay 24, 2013 at 9:07 AM

    I'd like to know when tea with the drag queen will take place and if there is an open invitation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. acasarellaMay 24, 2013 at 9:12 AM

      She gave me her card and asked that I stay in touch so we can go next time we're all in LA. I must say, I'm tempted... ;)

      Delete
  6. Amy EllisMay 24, 2013 at 2:28 PM

    So glad you found your home in CA! I've been a few times and it is special-er, there is just no denying, especially.after a.long winter in Chicago! Please get to the beach for me sometime soon:) I promise to.send you a pizza! Congrats on the feature~ Amy

    ReplyDelete
  7. Amy EllisMay 24, 2013 at 2:33 PM

    So glad you found your home in CA! I've been a few times and it is special-er, there is just no denying, especially.after a.long winter in Chicago! Please get to the beach for me sometime soon:) I promise to.send you a pizza! Congrats on the feature~ Amy

    ReplyDelete
  8. Amy EllisMay 24, 2013 at 2:33 PM

    So glad you found your home in CA! I've been a few times and it is special-er, there is just no denying, especially.after a.long winter in Chicago! Please get to the beach for me sometime soon:) I promise to.send you a pizza! Congrats on the feature~ Amy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. acasarellaMay 24, 2013 at 4:45 PM

      Thanks, Amy. If you were to send me a deep dish pizza from Pequod's on Clybourne, you would totally be my best friend ;)

      Delete
  9. Sharon @ mrshinesclassMay 24, 2013 at 6:38 PM

    Fun interview!

    ReplyDelete
  10. MarianneMay 24, 2013 at 10:41 PM

    She had me at "Canterbury Tales."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. acasarellaMay 25, 2013 at 10:45 AM

      Marianne, I just left you a long, rambling comment about a Chicago connection...

      Delete
  11. Danni@SiloHillFarmMay 25, 2013 at 5:35 AM

    I love Elena and I love this interview! Elena...you should totally go to that tea party and then blog about it.

    ReplyDelete
  12. BlissMay 25, 2013 at 6:44 AM

    #2......... SO FREAKING TRUE the rest of you have no idea!!!

    #6: I think Mrs. McDonald, the matriarch not the wife, is dead. She was pretty old already when she worked at my school.

    #10: I can see I have my work cut out for me...

    Bliss

    ReplyDelete
  13. Art and SandMay 25, 2013 at 8:33 AM

    I have a lot in common with Elena and would never have mentioned in my blog that California is "specialer", but I must agree. Although, I don't have the data having only lived in California and Jamaica.

    I have never read her blog so I must head over there after I plan a visit to Larchmont Street with my sister.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. acasarellaMay 25, 2013 at 10:20 AM

      Jamaica might just trump California in terms of specialness.... :)

      Delete
  14. Cindy deRosierMay 25, 2013 at 9:09 AM

    Great interview! Another vote that California is specialer. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. acasarellaMay 25, 2013 at 10:25 AM

      So great to see all the Californians coming out of the woodwork. Sometimes I feel like all the craft bloggers live in Canada or the East coast. Clearly I was wrong about that! :)

      Delete
  15. Much Ado About SomethinMay 25, 2013 at 9:16 AM

    Awesome interview! :) Elena - I'm with you...I'm not a drinker either...maybe 3 a year. I just don't really like it (and husband and made me try almost everything, so I'm confident when I say that).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. acasarellaMay 25, 2013 at 10:26 AM

      Lol! My husband and I have been together for almost 21 years and he has never seen me drunk. He doesn't make me try anything because he doesn't want to be thrown up upon ;)

      Delete
  16. LuAnn @ BackPorchervationsMay 25, 2013 at 2:04 PM

    I kind of have a love-hate relationship with California. Last time I was there we went to Alice's Restaurant, which was nice and secluded. On the same trip, however, our flight out of San Jose had lines out of the terminal into the parking garage (never, EVER travel around holidays...ugh).

    Nice getting to know you a little better. We're kind of heritage-neighbors. My mother was born in Switzerland. Lucky for me, I've been there twice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. acasarellaMay 25, 2013 at 2:26 PM

      Ooh, that is lucky, Switzerland is another spot on the bucket list!

      Delete
  17. Michelle {Jarrah Jungle}May 27, 2013 at 2:35 AM

    2 Weddings? That would be some pretty hectic planning ahead!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. acasarellaMay 27, 2013 at 8:11 AM

      Well, they're only eight and twelve, so I try not to think about it too much, but the year my husband's sister had her (rather extravagant) wedding my husband started waking up in a cold sweat ;)

      Delete
  18. Linda @ it all started with paintMay 30, 2013 at 5:43 AM

    And Elena keeps telling me how she misses Chicago ... hmmm ... love the interview, Elena!

    :) Linda

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. acasarellaMay 30, 2013 at 10:30 PM

      I do! I do miss Chicago!! Just not between November and March.

      (Or maybe April.)

      (And some years in May.)

      Delete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)