Thursday, December 22, 2011

Christmas Books

Did you read Christmas books as a child? What were your favorites?

Here are some that were well-loved in my family:


The Sweet Smell of Christmas: 


The story is cute, but the book is SCRATCH N SNIFF! All the Christmas smells are there: candy canes, hot cocoa, pine, oranges. I think my sister and I ruined it with all of our scratching, so I was very relieved that it came back into print a few years ago.

The Gift of the Magi by O'Henry:

This is a lovely edition of the classic Christmas tale of a couple who sell their most-prized possessions to afford to buy gifts for one another. BUT, there's a twist...

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg



Chris Van Allsburg is one of my favorite picture book writers (I am hoping Santa brings me a copy of the new Chronicles of Harris Burdock book for Christmas), and while this is perhaps his most well-known book, it's absolutely lovely. I wish train rides were always the way they're depicted in the book.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss

It's a classic for good reason.

The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore



Every Christmas Eve, my sister still insists we read this aloud as a family. The cover is a bit different than our version at home, but I believe it's the same illustrator. With so many editions to choose from, this one seems cozy and warm.

The Mitten by Jan Brett




While all of the other tales are Christmas specific, "The Mitten" is just a sweet, fun, winter tale.







The Night Before Christmas



Wednesday, December 07, 2011

New Music

One of the best things about December is that all of the "best of" lists for the year come out. I'm always looking for new music, so was pretty excited when I saw this list from Paste Magazine with the 50 best albums of the year.

What are your favorite songs / albums of the year?

Saturday, December 03, 2011

Happy Holidays

Now that it's December, I'm starting to get into the holiday spirit. How cute is this new ad for the John Lewis department store? I love it.


Friday, December 02, 2011

Documentaries

Though I generally enjoy documentaries, I find I only watch them occasionally. However, I've seen some really great-looking previews lately. Has anyone seen any of these?  Are any of them on your list of movies to see?

Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry
I can't upload a video to this directly, but here is the trailer for the first full-length film about Chinese artist, Weiwei: Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry. I think it looks amazing.



Being Elmo:



 I Believe I Can Fly:

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Starting a Wine Cellar

This is a neat article about starting a basic wine cellar.

What's your favorite type of wine?

Until a few years ago, I normally only drank white wine. Then, at the start of 2009, my New Year's resolution was to acquire a taste for red wine. It was one of the most fun (and also most successful) resolutions I've had to date.

Friday, November 25, 2011

source: http://xkcd.com/627/

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Ballroom Jeans

A friend recently passed this advertisement along to me, and it's kind of hilarious. This same friend, split the crotch of his jeans open trying to impress a small group of people with his dance skills a while back. So...these would be good for that, or also if you want your man to practice his ice dancing skills, I suppose:


Monday, November 14, 2011

New Favorite Magazine

A friend of mine recently told me about Matchbook Magazine, which is online once a month. It's so cute! The perfect combination between preppy and relaxed. I can't wait until next month's issue!

Music for Monday Morning


I woke up this morning to this link in my inbox from my dad. Monday mornings can be hectic, so get ready for work while listening to this fun song.

Sunday, November 13, 2011






Tonight for dinner, we tried the Spicy Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti from Ina Garten's How Easy Is That? Cookbook. Lately, that's been my go-to for recipes. As always, I'd recommend using less salt than she suggests, but it was a tasty, hearty cold weather meal.

Here's a link to the recipe, and a picture of a much tastier looking dish!

These are a few of people's favorite things...

Lately, there's been a lot of "top" lists. Here are some of my favorites:
What do you think? What are your some of your favorite things? 

Sunday Post

I am always on the lookout for new music. Lately, I've been feeling like I'm in a bit of a rut--have any suggestions?

In the meantime, I'm enjoying these:




Monday, November 07, 2011

Mr. Rogers! (and more)

It's Monday, which means I never have seem to have enough time in the day to do everything I'd like to. Maybe it's because I spend most of the days wishing it was any other day...

Here are a few things I found interesting:
  • A great article on Fred Rogers.
  • This looks like a yummy British food to make. 
  • Apparently a man in Florida tried to use a taco as ID? Best line ever: Another deputy clarified they were asking for an ID, not a taco. Falkner chuckled and began eating the taco.
  • I want to try making some of the recipes on this tasty-looking blog. 

Sunday, November 06, 2011

Happy Sunday

It's definitely fall in London this weekend. Yesterday we went up to Windsor and went kayaking on the Thames, which, aside from the the train not running part of the way, was a really fun experience. We managed to see Windsor Castle, Eton College, and lots of birds amidst fall foliage.


Afterward, we decided to swing by the Egham Real Ale & Cider Festival. Located at the Egham United Services Club, there was snooker, a BBQ, and fireworks in the background for Guy Fawkes Day.

Today, we made a Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Meat Loaf for dinner. Real Simple's recipe is a nice, tasty alternative to traditional meat loaf.

For the end of the weekend, I've swiped the two below links from Cup of Jo:

  • This is a great article on relationships.
  • Don't you kind of want these cute fake tattoos? They could be a cute Christmas stocking stuffer.

Tokyo Police Club

I discovered this album last year after a friend recommended it to me. It took a little while, but they've really grown on me (good driving music!0. And this video is one of the most fun music videos I've ever seen. Dog pool party!


Occupy Wall Street

This is a pretty great idea, even if you just want to cut down on junk mail:


James Van Der Week

Ever wonder what James Van Der Beek is up to these days? Me either, but I was still pretty excited to see him take over the Funny or Die Twitter Account for a week, and also to see this pretty awesome new website (I especially like the Katie Holmes smile section). Here's a clip of him doing "sexy":


And here's how it all came about.

Thursday, November 03, 2011

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Tuesday Song

It's dark and grey in London, so here's a sleepy song for the day. Though I love Kate Bush's original version, I kind of like this cover by Greg Laswell:



Sunday, October 30, 2011

College Dorm Decorating Tips

Check out these dorm rooms.

I could definitely learn a few tricks from these college students.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Look Ma, No Hands!

...is actually the name of a coffee shop / bike repair shop (okay, it's mum, but I haven't yet embraced that Britishism) not far from my apartment. On that note, check out this video on biking with no hands (I have to admit, I like it until the end...)





Tuesday, October 18, 2011

The National Book Award

Have you heard about the National Book Award debacle? The Awards will be announced on November 16th. Here are the nominees (with an error on the YA section--more on that later):

Fiction
THE SOJOURN by Andrew Krivak,
THE TIGER'S WIFE by Tea Obreht
THE BUDDHA IN THE ATTIC by Julie Otsuka
BINOCULAR VISION by Edith Pearlman
SALVAGE THE BONES by Jesmyn Ward

Non-Fiction
THE CONVERT: A Tale of Exile and Extremism by Deborah Baker
LOVE AND CAPITAL: Karl & Jenny Marx and the Birth of a Revolution by Mary Gabriel
THE SWERVE: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt
MALCOLM X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable
RADIOACTIVE: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss

Poetry
HEAD OFF & SPLIT by Nikki Finney
THE CHAMELEON COUCH by Yusef Komunyakaa
DOUBLE SHADOWS by Carl Phillips
TONIGHT NO POETRY WILL SERVE: POEMS 2007-2010 by Adrienne Rich
DEVOTIONS by Bruce Smith,

Young People's Literature
MY NAME IS NOT EASY by Debby Dahl Edwardson
INSIDE OUT AND BACK AGAIN by Thanhha Lai
FLESH AND BLOOD SO CHEAP: THE TRIANGLE FIRE AND ITS LEGACY by Alfred Marrin
SHINE by Lauren Myracle*
OKAY FOR NOW by Gary D. Schmidt

*So, it turns out that SHINE was listed in error. What they meant to say was that CHIME by Franny Billingsley was on the list. Here is a PW article on the blunder, and here is author (and wife of Myracle's agent, Barry Goldblatt) Libba Bray's take on the situation. 


 

Monday, October 17, 2011

Mindy Kaling Article

Have you see Mindy Kaling's article about romantic comedies in The New Yorker? It's hilarious and so true. Click here to read it.

And if you're not sure who Mindy Kaling is, watch this video.

Great Commercial

I am in love with this:


Monday Music: Desk Concert

Check out NPR's desk concert, featuring Wilco. I love them. And the drummer is playing on a book....

You can even download the whole thing for free! Who doesn't love free things?

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Who wants a manfriend?


How cute are these manfriends that are selling on etsy? Are you more of a Craig fan or a Kenneth fan?

Monday, October 10, 2011

Books!

Daily Candy posted this list of 101 books they can't live without.

What books can't you live without?

Sunday, October 09, 2011

Fall Flats

I'm obsessed with flats. The only problem is that regardless of price, they wear out quickly. Now that it's fall, I'm trying to scout out some new options. Here are a few that look like they could be both cute and functional, in a variety of prices.

J. Crew Cece Tweed Ballet Flats - $99 (on sale)



 Land's End Canvas Mackenzie Plaintoe Ballet Flat - $68 (there's a lovely green shade on sale for just $33)





Two-Toned Marais Flats - $64


BC Limousine Flat from American Eagle - $45


Uptown Pumps from Boden - $118


Books: A Visit from the Goon Squad, Just Kids, Remains of the Day, State of Wonder

Having won the Pulitzer Prize earlier this year, I'd been curious about this book for a while. Then, just as I was about to pick it up, I had several friends tell me how disappointed they'd been with it. I think, as a result, I lowered my expectations quite a bit, and ended up enjoying it much more than I expected to.

While I didn't love any of the characters--most of them are deeply flawed--Egan's writing style was impeccable. I was truly impressed with the intricate way she wove the stories together and jumped around in time and locales. Her sentences are often poetic, and her observations astute.

The book is more interwoven short stories than novel, and the characters are hard to relate to. However, it's a quick read, and one I think that's worth picking up.





I have to admit that when I picked this up, I didn't know much about Patti Smith. My dad had given me a copy of her album "Land" a few years ago, and she just sounded so angry and harsh, that I don't think I ever listened to the album the entire way through.

Reading this made me want to revisit the album. I never realized quite how much an emphasis Smith put on words; the lyrics always came first.

While at times her lifestyle is a bit too out there for me, I found her story compelling and ultimately a really satisfying read. I'd recommend this if you're interested in reading more about the Chelsea Hotel and beat generation poets of New York in the 1960s and 70s.

Just Kids won the Pulitzer in 2010.


I loved Never Let Me Go. So, when my book club suggested reading The Remains of the Day, I thought the writing style might be similarly enjoyable. While The Remains of the Day is also incredibly well-written, the story and the writing style could not me more different. Kazuo Ishiguro's pacing in this novel is quite slow, but it's done in a very smart way.

The narrator, a British butler who worked in a grand house during WWII, is not necessarily likable, but he is interesting. And, as the story progresses, the reader discovers he's not necessarily reliable either. But this is the genius of the book.


I loved Bel Canto, so when a friend told me that State of Wonder was the best book she'd read all summer, I immediately went out and bought a copy. I wasn't disappointed. Ann Patchett's writing is lyrical, and the story is complex and interesting. While I didn't walk away feeling happy at the end, I felt that reading this novel was time really well spent. I'd highly recommend it. 

Peach Cake

This weekend I had a few nectarines that were getting a bit overripe. I found this recipe (again in Barefoot Contessa How Easy is That?) 

I served it for dessert last night, but I think it might make a better coffee cake than dessert. For a slightly healthier version, I'd recommend swapping out the sour cream for some fat free (or reduced fat) greek yogurt.

Provencal Lamb Roast


First, why is it so hard to take appetizing-looking pictures of food? I have a lot of respect for photographers who specialize in food. Second, this was delicious; I promise.

To celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving, last night we roasted a leg of lamb. A while back, my friend Kristen gave me a copy of Ina Garten's How Easy is That? cookbook. I've been loving it; I haven't made a single recipe from it that I haven't enjoyed, and have made several of them multiple times.

I was a bit skeptical of this particular recipe as it called for honey, and I'm not normally a big fan of meat dishes that are sweet. However, I'm so glad I tried it. I couldn't taste the honey at all. In fact, the lamb was more spicy and tangy from the mustard and vinegar than it was sweet.

The best part was how simple it was to make. I'd highly recommend this for a dinner party. Prep before your guests come, and leave it for an hour + while you socialize with guests.

Click here for the recipe.Be warned, I only used half of the salt she recommended for the recipe and it still felt like overkill.

Sunday Song

I heard "Look at Miss Ohio" by Gillian Welch a few weeks ago for the first time and really fell in love with the song, though I'm not sure her version is my favorite. Here's a decent cover by Blind Pilot.


On Beauty Video

I like this video.

Saturday, October 08, 2011

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Hidden Posters of Notting Hill Gate

When I was younger, I was obsessed with the idea of finding a secret passageway, or lost civilization. I guess part of me is still interested in this sort of thing, which is why, when I read that vintage posters were discovered in an abandoned London tube station (specifically, Notting Hill Gate), I was pretty intrigued.


Can you imagine exploring an abandoned tube stop?

Maurice Sendak Article

This is an interesting article about Maurice Sendak, the author of Where the Wild Things Are.



He has a lot of great quotes in it. While I don't particularly agree with his view on e-books, I did appreciate the comment: "I hate them. It's like making believe there's another kind of sex. There isn't another kind of sex. There isn't another kind of book! A book is a book is a book."

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Humour! (to recover from the zombies...)

This bonus feature from the movie Bridesmaids is pretty hilarious.


Zombies!

Okay, so this looks terrifying. Anyone fancy a role play game in a whole city infested with zombies? Do they do this sort of thing in the States? I've heard of zombie walks, but never of actual games where you are being chased by zombies.


If that's not creepy enough for you, then season 2 of The Walking Dead premieres October 16.


Sunday, September 25, 2011

Sunday: Song of the Day

A friend recently told me he thinks that the new album by We are Augustines, "Rise Ye Sunken Ships", is the best album of the year. What do you think? Today I've been enjoying "Chapel Song". Here's the video:




Did you see the Google Doodle in honor of Jim Henson? Here is a fun NYTimes article about the making of the logo, plus a bit about Henson.

Hot Pants

 When people started using the term hot pants, I always assumed they meant pants that were the color red. Now, colorful pants are everywhere. What do you think? Are they fabulous or too full-on?




Here are some of the options I've seen:
  • J. Brand for $176: I have to admit I tried these on at Anthropologie and they were too short for me. I think they're aiming for a cropped look, but these were more capris on me.
  • BDG has a pair available for only $58 at Urban Outfiters, but the reviews say they run after only one wash. 
  • American Eagle has a pair of red jeggings for only $44. Are jeggings cool, or, are they, as one friend says, simply glorified tights? 





Street Art

This is a neat post, featuring some amazing street art.

Speaking of street art, have you seen Exit Through the Gift Shop? It's a really neat look into some interesting artists. Plus, it explores how gullible people can be.


Here's another great article on Banksy.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Songs Inspired by Poems

Flavorwire has a fun article on songs inspired by poets. Click here to have a read / listen.

Sneak peek--I especially like #7,M. Ward (of She & Him fame) singing a song called "Blake's View":



Last night, I met up with a friend to check out a Book Slam. She'd been before, but  I didn't quite know what to expect. For a moment, I even worried it could be like a pillow fight with books. Then I realized I have been to poetry slams before, and they were fairly non-violent events.

If you enjoy a night of literature, but wish it had a bit more entertainment,  a book slam is a great compromise. This particular event was hosted at The Grand in Clapham. Since the venue is a night club, the event differed from most book-type events I've attended. The Slam itself was like a literary round robin with a host, three performers and a dj.

The event was advertised to start at 7:30, but the host didn't appear on stage until just after 8. He opened by reading the poem "Invisible Kisses" and was followed by  performances / readings by Inua Ellams (a poet, playwright, and performer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (a novelist), and Nick Mulvey (a singer / songwriter). Performances were interspersed with tunes from a DJ.

All in all, it was a fun night. As a warning, tickets, which are only about £6, have been selling out quickly, since the series received a mention in Stylist.

Monday, September 19, 2011

TV soundtracks

You guys. I was watching The Vampire Diaries season premier this past week and the music was really good.

I know. It looks like there are two questionable statements in that first paragraph. It's fine if TVD isn't your thing. But the music (at least most of it) really was decent. It made me think about all of the good TV show soundtracks I've owned.

It always starts the same way. You find yourself watching a show like Party of Five or Felicity. The music is decent, so you buy the album. You listen to it until you're sick of it. Maybe you even made a few mix tapes featuring songs from the show in question before this happens. But then it sits neglected in your CD case, or on display for years and years until you have a dinner party and people are rifling through your things and someone is like "why do you have the Dawson's Creek soundtrack?" And they say it in this way like they're judging you, so you get defensive and are like "Oh, that's ancient. I totally meant to throw that out years ago. My music taste is totally amazing now. he he?"

But later you realize that they're not reacting to the music. They're reacting to the fact that James Van Der Beek's face is on the cover of one of your CDs. In fact, the more you think about it, that Paula Cole song was really amazing and where have all the cowboys gone? Plus, who didn't feel like their love life was a little less bleak after listening to "Kiss me" by Sixpence None the Richer.

Sadly, you probably buried that CD at the bottom of the pile after this dinner party and forgot about the CD for another 5 years when the whole situation repeats itself. 

Anyway, here is a link to the list of music they played on last week's episode of TVD. I especially liked the two featured below. The Ingrid Michaelson song is sweet, and the video for "Hello" is pretty charming:







London Open House

 Don't you always wonder how other people live? Especially well-to-do people who live in posh, older houses? It turns out that London has an open house weekend, where the public is allowed a peek into some of these houses and buildings. The event, which was this past weekend, was a great way for designers, architects, and urban planners to showcase their work.
While at Portobello Market on Saturday with a friend, we passed one of the houses on the tour, but the line was around the corner of the block. Somewhat discouraged, we abandoned the plan to check out the open houses on Saturday.
Then, on the way to the grocery store on Sunday morning, we passed a flat in Angel that was open to the public. At this property, you were supposed to pre-book, but the architect at the door, allowed us to sneak into the tour. He and his wife then gave the group a quick talk about the challenge of renovating the house, and how they managed to create a sustainable flat that met the client's vision.
One of the neatest parts of the property was how they'd managed to update the garden. Since the couple living in the flat are only in London on weekends, they wanted a garden that was low maintenance. So, they built the patio up a bit higher, and created a way for rain water to be trapped underneath, and then irrigate the garden when no one was home.
They also had a beautiful wild flower garden on the roof. I only wish I'd taken pictures.

For more details about the event, visit londonopenhouse.org. 

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Anne Hathaway Rapping


I kind of love this.


Music Covers

I love a good cover band. The Lost Fingers put a different spin on some modern day songs. Check out their video for "Pump Up the Jam":



The whole "Lost in the 80s", album is neat. As they're from Quebec, they also have some great French songs, in particular a re-make of "Belleville Rendez-Vous" from the movie "Triplets of Belleville".

This is a great article.

www.theawl.com
It’s pretty hard to reverse engineer a meet-cute. These things either happen or they don’t. If you were really serious about it, you could probably arrange for, say, an errant shopping cart to go charging off in someone's direction and then you could rush up behind it saying, "Sorry, sorry!" and tha...

Next Disney Movie?


Have you read about Willow yet? Such a great article. And a bit like The Incredible Journey Except that the dogs sat around not doing much....

I love that they still have her little Christmas stocking.





Sunday Soup Recipe


Last weekend I wanted a speedy soup recipe, so I pulled out Nigella Express. She had a recipe for Minestrone in Minutes. I have to admit, I was skeptical, but it turned out really well.

I didn't have any pasta sauce, so I ignored her instructions to add pre-made sauce, and I just added some sauteed onions and garlic, crushed tomatoes, a bit of dried oregano, and a bay leaf, as well as a bit of extra chicken stock. It was pretty tasty and express.

Here is the recipe.


London Bags

When I first moved to London, I asked a friend who used to live here where she'd suggest buying a new bag. She suggested Mimi Berry. Sadly, I can't (yet) justify the cost, but I think I would be happy with almost any of the bags they sell. Especially the Clementine or the Peggy (shown below).


Easy New 'Do

I wear my hair the same way every. single. day. Usually, I wake up, shower, blow it dry, and then throw it up in a messy ponytail after an hour or so. It's just boring. So, the last time I went to get my hair cut, I asked the stylist (whom I trust) if she had any suggestions for an easy, new way to wear my hair.

She suggested a modified bun. Here's how you do it:
  • Put your hair in pigtails. The part doesn't really matter. 
  • Tie the pigtails in a knot and then pin down the ends. 
I'm trying no to wash my hair every day, and this is a great solution to save my hair from looking flat or greasy. Plus, I can do it myself. What do you think?

Here are pictures:



Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Great Article

I love this article called "My Superpower Is Being Alone Forever". It's all about online dating and meeting people. Great line: "Everyone has a friend who is so charismatic, brilliant or good-looking that the idea of him or her trolling OKCupid is mind-boggling. I am haunted by those friends. What is it that separates us? Is it gluten?"

Zoolander

I love Zoolander, but had no recollection of Alexander Skarsgard being one of the "orange mocha frappuccino" male models...

Literary Pets

What kind of animal would you love to keep as a pet? Some famous authors have some interesting choices, shared in this article. Can you imagine parading a lobster around on a leash??

Here's Flannery O'Connor and her peacocks:


Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Fun Tunes

Marie Claire suggested these songs this month, and here are a few I think are okay, including some French Gypsy Jazz. 
 
"Je Veux" by Zaz: 

"Free My Mind" by Katie Herzig:



"Paper Tiger" by Rosi Golan: 



Fun Song


Monday, September 12, 2011

Music of the Day

I am a big fan of The Tallest Man on Earth. Here's one of the neatest videos I've seen....I kind of want to find this shop:


I also really like this cover he does of "Graceland':


Sunday, September 11, 2011

This is kind of hilarious.

"Ah, what can ever be more stately and admirable to me than mast-hemm’d Manhattan?"


10 years ago today, I was wandering the streets of Lancaster, England during my study abroad course. I was with two friends and our plan was to head into town to get groceries. It was a beautiful day. It felt like fall.

Now, on September 11, 2011 I again find myself in England. London is cool and crisp. But today I miss New York.

The title of this post is taken from Crossing Brooklyn Ferry by Walt Whitman.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Danny MacAskill Videos

I posted these on Facebook ages ago, but I watch them every now and then just because they're so amazing, and well-done. Again, great music picks with "The Funeral" by Band of Horses and "Wax and Wire" by Loch Lomond.