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.

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. 

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.

My Superpower Is Being Alone Forever

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?

Willow, Lost Cat From Colorado, Resurfaces in Manhattan

www.nytimes.com

 

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:

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:

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

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':

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.

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.

Song of the day

I know I just posted the long boarding video, which features this song, but I just can't get enough of it!

I think I may have to buy the whole album...

Bag o'...

I go through white t-shirts like it's my job. If it was my job, I'd be loaded. They're always grey, or stained (I'm a bit of a slob) after a week or so. So, I think this is an excellent idea. For only $48 you get 3 crips, white tees. I wonder if they're see-through....

Dark tees and tanks are also available.

More Shoes...

Check out these cute shoes from BC Footwear at American Eagle. $45 seems like an okay price for shoes too. I like both the blue and the yellow.

Cheap, Cool, Perscription Glasses

I have never worn contact lenses, so I view my glasses as an accessory. Unfortunately, they're an expensive accessory that are supposed to last for years, so I end up getting sick of my frames before I should be buying new ones. So, when I read about Warby Parker, I was kind of jazzed. 

The company offers frames + glasses for $95. And for every pair of glasses they sell, they donate a pair to a person in need. So, for $95 you can also feel good about your purchase.

The down side is that as of now, they only have two places for you to try on glasses in a showroom, and both are in NY. To get around this, they will ship you up to 5 pairs of frames at a time for free (anywhere in the contiguous 48 States) to try on at home. If you like them, you're in luck. If not, send them back for free. It could be a good opportunity to get a spare pair of cool frames, or some prescription sunglasses.

The down side: they're not shipping internationally yet. So, if you buy a pair, you'll have to let me know if they're any good!

Have you read it yet?

Unbroken has just sold 1 million copies in hardcover, which is a pretty impressive feat in the age of the e-book. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend picking up a copy--in hardcover or e-book version.

Though it's non-fiction, it reads like fiction, and is an amazing story of survival.

Body Lotion with SPF

Wouldn't you like to try this body lotion? It's a bit on the pricey side, but it's all natural, and has SPF 30 for your whole self.

Weekend Soup Recipe

I've just bought this thermos to bring to work, so I'm trying to get in the habit of making soup over the weekend so that I'll have at least a few weekday lunches ready to take with me before I'm rushing around in the morning trying to get ready for the day.

This week, I made Carrot-Ginger Soup from The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook. It's healthy, easy-to-make and tasty hot or cold. Recipe below, copied from this site:

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh ginger root
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 7 cups chicken broth
• 1 ½ lbs. carrots, peeled and cut into ½ in. pieces
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and sauté for 15 – 20 minutes.
3. Add the broth and carrots. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until the carrots are very tender, about 45 minutes.
4. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor, 2 – 3 cups at a time, and pour into a large bowl. When finished, pour the pureed soup back into the stockpot. Season with lemon juice.

Beirut

Today, I'm listening to a lot of Beirut and wishing there were still tickets left to see them next Friday in London! Here's one of my favorites. It reminds me of France. Plus, I love the marching aspect:

Knitting

How cute are these patterns from Tiny Owl Knits? I only know very basic knitting, but these kind of make me want to take it up as a hobby:

Veggie Recipe:

This past weekend, I tried my hand at making Ratatouille (the last time I'd had a craving for it was as I was leaving the theater after seeing the movie...) There's a chill in the air here, so it seemed like the right time to cook up some vegetable stew.

I used this  recipe from a Menus from an Orchard Table. Yum.

Rompers!

As summer is drawing to a close (in some places. In London, it's practically winter), I can't help but check out the end of season sale. One purchase I never made this summer was the romper. Why? Because they're rompers. Then my sister met me in New York for a weekend and looked adorable in one. What do you think? Hers was black, but the coral would be fun with a tan...Also, it's only $33 here.

If you're not going to rush out and buy one, at least take a moment to appreciate the word. It's kind of fun to say: rompers!

Laughs

This will at least make you smile.

Interesting move, Google.

It seems as though Google's plan to take over the world is one step further along with their acquisition of Zagat's. I hope this "dependable" guide doesn't get too much of a "facelift".

Travel Deal

If anyone in New York, Boston, or Chicago is interested in traveling to Canada,  Porter Airlines is having a 50% sale off all flights through December 15. You just have to book soon!

Here are details: Book online or contact your travel agent. Use promo code WOW50 by September 9, 2011. Travel by December 15, 2011. New bookings only. Cannot be combined with any other promotions or programs.

Girl Hate

This is a great article on girl hate.

Loafers

I've decided I'm a fan of the fall loafer trend, but what pair to get? Here are a few different styles I've seen and pondered:

Color Pair Loafers from Anthropologie: 

Bed Stu Penny Loafer from American Eagle:

I like both the classic-looking Biella Loafers and the Darby Patent Loafer from J. Crew:

Lastly, while summer is drawing to a close, I am still wishing, I'd bought a pair of boat shoes. Maybe there will be an end of season sale? I still like these Sperry Top-Siders:

Fall in London

It is definitely Autumnal in London. To be fair, it's been somewhat fall-like since July, but I suspect the days of bare legs are rapidly coming to a close. I've recently discovered Emerson Made. Doesn't  this seems like the perfect fall blazer for London (or anywhere?). I wish the price was a bit more perfect for my wallet...

Carving the Mountains

Kaitlin posted the below video and it was too amazing not to swipe. I wish I was this fierce. Not to mention, an awesome song by The Decemberists.

Swagger Wagon

I'm not a mini van fan, but the new Sienna ads are pretty funny. In particular, this:

I heart Roald Dahl

Besides his amazingly weird kids' stories like James and the Giant Peach or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and his amazingly weird adult stories like "The Hitchhiker" and "Lamb to the Slaughter", he also sent some pretty weirdly amazing responses to fan mail.

Click this link to see his response to a letter to a class.

And here to read about how he had all of his permanent teeth pulled!

100 Years of Style (and dancing!) in London

Fun Video:

What I Miss: Grand Central

Grand Central Station is one of my favorite buildings in New York. If you're lucky enough to come across it when it's calm, it's spectacular. But, as this fun New York Times article suggests, it's really a work of art anytime. I think this line sums it up perfectly: "I sense that these same visitors would not carry themselves in quite the same way at Penn Station or the Port Authority. The immensity of the hall’s space makes an impact at all times, surrounding people with drama."

New Favorite Lip Gloss

So, this isn't a new product, but I've just discovered it and am loving it!

I've been putting it on before work each morning.

Banned Book Barge

I first heard about The Book Barge a few months ago when it was docked along the canal in Islington, not far from my flat. In a tougher and tougher independent book market, The Guardian calls the Barge is the "brainchild" of Sarah Henshaw. I've read about several independent booksellers who are interested in making the purchase of books about the experience more than about the bargain.

Now, the Book Barge, which sells new and used books, has made it's way to Bristol and the crew has been told that their license isn't being accepted in the port. Here's a link to the article.

Either way, a neat shop. I'd gladly buy my books from a barge!

Vintage Bike

Every Wednesday, I look forward to getting my free issue of Stylist Magazine, which is handed out at tube stops. For the past few weeks, they've been on vacation, so I was especially excited to nab my copy on my way to work this morning.

This week, one of the stand-outs on their style list is this vintage inspired bike, on sale at made.com for only £179. (It comes in pink too!)

Wouldn't you like this bike for touring around town? All it needs is a basket!

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

If you're in the mood for a happy read, look no further. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand is a cozy adult love story that gently explores issues of race and prejudice and hammers home that it's never too late in life for love. All of the characters in the book are flawed, but most of them are likeable. I genuinely enjoyed Major Pettigrew and rooted for him along the way. A lovely debut novel. 

Emerald Street

Emerald Street is one of my go-to London blogs. They send along a newsletter a few times a week with suggestions on fashion, bars, etc. They aren't always to my taste (especially the fashion suggestions), but it's neat to read their newsletters.

Today, they've included their list of The 20 Books YOU Must Read. I have to admit, I don't agree with all of their picks (I'd definitely replace The Blind Asassin with The Handmaid's Tale), but it's worth a browse.

What do you think? What are books you always find yourself raving about?

Texas Gothic

 If you haven't read any Rosemary Clement-Moore, you're missing out. While I preferred Prom Dates from Hell, I did thoroughly enjoy Texas Gothic. Clement-Moore's books are a breath of fresh air in the over-crowded paranormal romance YA market. Her characters are part Nancy Drew, part Veronica Mars, and a teeny, tiny bit Twilight (in that they are dead-pan characters who can't believe that something out of the ordinary is happening to them. My suggestion: get Prom Dates from Hell first and see what you think.

London Rainbow

Last Friday night, I got caught in a Downpour (with a capital "D"). Just as I was walking home along the canal, I came out from under a bridge to the below sight--so neat!

Sadly, I did not find a pot of gold.

Willow!

As previously mentioned, Willow is one of my favorite moves of all time. Therefore, I'm a little bit excited that Warwick Davis is starring in a new show with Ricky Gervais. I will not comment on the trailer other than that Ricky Gervais' laugh is contagious. Clip below:

Hey everyone, there's a new Poet Laureate in town...

Congratulations, Philip Levine. Here's an article about Levine's poetry.

 Poets.org has a few of his poems if you're interested in checking them out too.

50 of Poetry's Most Poignant Lines

Stylist, my new favorite British magazine, has a great article called "50 Of Poetry's Most Poignant Lines". Click here to read it!

One of my favorite picks is by David Lehman, the head of The New School poetry department and also the series editor of The Best American Poetry series:

"When a woman loves a man, they have gone / to swim naked in the stream / on a glorious July day / with the sound of the waterfall like a chuckle / of water rushing over smooth rocks, / and there is nothing alien in the universe."

-When a Woman Loves a Man, David Lehman

Buster Plughole Unblocker

Living in a foreign country, there are inevitably things you end up missing from home. Here are a few examples of things I have yet to find in London: Tide to Go Instant Stain Remover Stick, Luna Bars, J. Crew (sometimes they have stuff on the Outnet...), Crest toothpaste.

When I first moved into my flat here, I noticed the drain was clogged. Immediately, I wondered if Dran-o was even available in the UK. But, my worries were for naught as I soon discovered the British equivalent simply has a different name:

Buster's Plughole Unblocker.

Warm French Lentils

Initially, this was supposed to be a Meatless Monday post. You have to admit, it has a certain ring to it. But last night, my supplies were limited. So, tonight I made a delicious lentil recipe for dinner from Ina Garten's How Easy is That? So far, I love this book. All of the recipes are really easy and super delicious. Here's a link I found to the recipe online. I also took a lovely photo, but just managed to delete it.

Since it's summer, I served the lentils with a salad and a baguette. Pretty tasty!

Word of warning: I usually half the butter / oil and salt in the Barefoot Contessa's recipes. 

Beach Hair

Confession: though I don't normally spend a lot of time styling my hair, I am a sucker for trying new hair products, especially in summer when my hair tends to get dry and tangled so easily. My go-to detangler for years has been Bb Tonic Lotion: 

While Bumble and bumble products are not cheap (an 8 oz. bottle is about $19), once I bought my first bottle of the Tonic, I was a convert. It works on damp hair as a de-tangler and rumor has it if you want to skip washing your hair for a day, you can spray some on the roots and then blow them dry. The larger size lasts for ages, and the playfully labeled bottles cheer up a bathroom.

I've recently cheated on Bb with Oribe Foundation Mist:   

 

I have to say, I'm a fan. It's approximately $3 more expensive than the Bumble and bumble, but it smells heavenly (the tonic has a slightly medicinal smell), and it works as well, if not better. Overall, it's a nice change. I may even be a convert.

If you're looking for something to cure your parched summer locks, check out Kaitlin's post on argan oil.

Guilty Pleasures

This week, Kaitlin and I have decided to talk about our guilty pleasures.

When I think of guilty pleasures, I can't help but remember a night out a few years ago. My roommates, some friends, and  I were at a bar on the Lower East Side in New York when someone came up with the idea of a playing a drinking game called "I Hate". The basic concept of the game was that you went around in a circle saying the name of something (or someone) you hated. So, one person would say something like "I hate Paris Hilton" and anyone in the circle who liked Paris Hilton, would take a sip of their drink.  It was a pretty funny game, though a few rounds in, my roommate Adam suggested we switch it up and admit to guilty pleasures rather than "I hate ________." It seemed more positive, so we agreed. Our friend Scott started "I like....Enya?" And the game was on.

So, I'm here to confess a few movies that are guilty pleasures for me. Here goes:

• Dirty Dancing. Why? Because "nobody puts my baby in the corner." Plus, the line "I carried a watermelon" is one of my favorite movie quotes of all time. 
• 10 Things I Hate About You. This movie is so good, I don't think I even need to explain it. But, since I watched it (literally) 10 times the week I saw it for the first time, I believe it deserves a place on the list. I mean, Heath Ledger. Favorite quote (though there are lots of great ones to choose from):That must be Nigel with the brie!
• Annie. I was obsessed with this movie as a child. My favorite character: Pepper. She was so tough!
• The Reality of Love (initially titled "I Want to Marry Ryan Banks"). ABC Family movie classic starring Jason Priestly, Emma Caulfield, and Bradley Cooper. It's so horrible, but it was the movie that made me like Bradley Cooper even before I knew he spoke flawless French.
• Grease. Despite the terrible message that if you wear spandex and dress like a whore, you'll get the guy, my sister and I spent countless hours lip-syncing and making up dances to different songs from this film. I think at one point, we may have even put together a water ballet production in the pool in our backyard. Okay, we definitely did.
• White Fang. Adventure + Ethan Hawke. Need I say more? 
• Willow. Amazing.
• Someone Like You...which is now apparently called "Animal Attraction". Despite the disappointing smooch at the end, I loved this movie. Ashley Judd is just so likable in this. Then I married a roommate. Hmmm.
• South Pacific. So many good songs!
• Silverado. This movie was AMAZING. Kevin Kline, Kevin Costner, Scott Glenn (who, as a child, I thought was an actor and an astronaut), Danny Glover, John Cleese, and cowboys. It's worth watching just for the scene where Kevin Costner shoots 2 guys at the same time. 
• Save the Last Dance and Step Up. I'm grouping these 2 together. Maybe because I'm hoping you'll skip this bullet.
• Blue Crush. Kate Bosworth was so hot in this, I really wanted to be her. Plus, if you're a fan of The Vampire Diaries, you can see Alaric back in the day.

There's 12 I can think of now. I'm sure I'm leaving out a ton. Just FYI, The Goonies, The Princess Bride, Labyrinth and The Never-Ending Story totally don't count as guilty pleasures even if I have seen them countless times.


Bonus Picks: Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. I know. It's Justin Bieber. But, I defy you to watch this movie and not like it

Baby Beluga

Such a great video:

Monday Mix

Happy Monday! Here are a few songs I've been listening to lately that are hopefully upbeat enough to help speed up your first day back at work:

Pump Up the Jam  - The Lost Fingers
Toxic - Marc Ronson
Holland, 1945  - Neutral Milk Hotel
Nantes - Beirut
Antarctica- The Weepies
Fire at the Pageant  -The Felice Brothers
Animal - Miike Snow
Oh My God - Ida Maria
Be Calm - fun.
The Cave - Mumford & Sons
Graceland - The Tallest Man on Earth
Tonight You Belong to Me - Josh Ritter ft. Erin McKeown

OK Go + Pilobolus

Another creative video from OK GO--this time they've paired up with the Pilobolus Dance company:

2Cellos

Last night I went to see Lang Lang perform at the itunes festival in London.  A friend of mine won tickets, and I was excited to be her +1. I normally don't seek out classical concerts on my own, so it was nice to have an excuse to go to an event like that.

The opening act was performed by 2Cellos (Sulic and Hauser), two cellists from Croatia, who play rock music on their cellos. While at times they cross the fine line between cool and cheesy, for the most part they were pretty awesome. Here's a clip of them playing "Welcome to the Jungle":

And a performance of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" on Ellen:

 Lang Lang was impressive too.

Book Review - Bossypants

Bossypants by Tina Fey had been on my list of books to read for a while. When I saw kzmccaff's recommendation I moved it to the top of my pile.  I started reading it on Saturday night. I did not leave my apartment until I finished it yesterday. I haven't laughed out loud that much while reading since reading Us and Them from Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris. Tina Fey's story is touching, hilarious, and completely relatable.

My Life in France

I spent last year living in Fontainebleau, France in what must have been one of the narrowest houses I've ever seen. Here's a picture:

Fontainebleau is about a 40 minute train ride outside of Paris and nestled in the middle of the Fontainebleau Forest. Life there was definitely different than life in New York City, but it was a welcome challenge made a bit easier by Julia Child's My Life in France.

If you are going to France, or just looking for a great read, I highly recommend this. Prior to reading this novel, I didn't know much about Julia Child. She is brave, down-to-earth and inspiring. The movie Julia & Julia (while fun) just doesn't do it justice.

Favorite Song of the Week

Dear Mrs. Pacuppycheck

Having just moved to London, I've decided to start up my blog again. For me, having a blog is a bit like revisiting the time in my life when I surrounded myself with imaginary friends. And by surrounded, I mean I had a whole gang (most imaginative in her nursery school class right here!).

I guess writing for a readership that you're not sure exists is half the fun.  For a while, I wasn't sure I wanted to embrace that time in my life and again. Then I remembered it was a pretty awesome time. I'm not sure yet what this will turn into; perhaps just a mish-mosh of my favorite books, songs, places and experiences living in a new place.

So, Sherry, Pebbles, Licorice, and Mrs. Pacuppycheck, this one's for you--I hope you like it.