The Book of the Month Clutch

Super cute book clutches from Kate Spade. It's an interesting idea but I'm not sure if I would actually use it? I also don't know why they're $300... See them here. [Images and find via Oh Happy Day.]

Book Art

This collaborative piece by photographer Oliver Scott Snure and children's librarian/artist Mia Cabana is so cool. I love the lighting and the stage. I love the woman cut out of the book. You can see several more on Oliver's blog and all of the pieces are cool, but this one is definitely my favorite. Check more out here.

[via design*sponge]

P.S. Wow, I talk about books and book related things a lot, huh?

Waking Up In Vegas...

I'm headed to Las Vegas in the near future for my Dad's softball tournament. I just checked out the weather I can expect... Yikes!

Pug Persuasion

Generally, Dave and I have differing taste in dogs. I tend to like "normal" looking dogs like labs and golden retrievers (wiener dogs being a notable exception). Dave, however, likes what I call "weird" looking dogs. All the time he'll point out bulldogs, frenchies, pugs, and anything else that, "Just needs more love than other dogs because they're so weird looking and get asthma and what if no one ever adopts them Ashley we have to give them a home!"

Today he sent me an email with this photo (aptly named "teeny tiny sleepy pug face"), subject line: Please please please...


You have to admit, it is kinda cute in this photo, huh?

Disclaimer: I'm sorry if you prefer bulldogs, frenchies, pugs or any other dog I just slandered by calling them "weird looking." It's all a matter of taste, right?

photo from here.

Happy Weekend!

Friends, I hope you have a weekend like this picture. Hot, happy, and full of excitement.

I've got an apartment anniversary party on tap tomorrow (we've been in our place a whole year! let's celebrate!) as well as some bike riding, relaxing, and reading. And tonight I'm going on a date with that good looking boy in the photo. We've got some celebrating to do after a good job interview today. Yahoo!

(photo by rebecca keizer)

I've got the power! (or not)

Today we had a power outage at work! It was probably the most exciting thing ever here. I got to go outside and read for 40 minutes while I waited for the power to come back on. I'm so thankful for life's small pleasures. (And also that it's summer not winter!)

Plus tomorrow is Friday. Yippee!

Heirloom Tomatoes

Let's be clear on something: I love tomatoes. I love, love tomatoes. I grew up on what I call "Hawaii tomatoes." These would be the ones that are barged in to the islands and don't quite measure up to their mainland peers. On moving to the North American continent, I discovered the joy of non-barged tomatoes and my love for the little buggers has swelled. My new favorites are heirloom tomatoes. Paige and I bought a gorgeous yellow one the other weekend and it was exquisitely delicious. I got even luckier this week when last night Dave brought me a little bucket of small ones from the community garden next door to his office. (He's so nice, isn't he?)

I love tomatoes!

(picture from here)

Dinkel's Bakery

So every now and then my boss brings in donuts from Dinkel's Bakery, much to everyone's delight. I have never been to the actual bakery, which is in Lakeview, but consider it officially on my list for this weekend. I have sampled some of the most delicious donuts + pastries and I just looked at their website and they have other baked goods (i.e. breads + cakes), too. Dinkel's was founded in 1922 and has been family owned for four generations. This place is awesome. Who's up for a field trip? (<-- Marissa, I'm looking at you.)

Reading List: The Shadow of the Wind & Lonesome Dove

I cannot recommend a book more highly than The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I devoured this book while on the beach in Hawaii. In addition to a powerful, entrancing story, it's one of the most well-written books I've read. It's a tale of books and mystery and romance all with the architecture of Barcelona dancing in the background. Seriously, go read it right now!


I'm currently reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty for a book club I'm in. (Live in Chicago? Want to join?) I'll admit I'm only 200 pages in (oh, by the way, it's like 800 pages long, so it's not for the faint of heart or short of attention span), but I'm already anticipating the next time I'll get to sit down with it. (Lunch break, come quickly!) It's got cowboys and deserts and adventure (at least I think there's a big adventure coming...) and even some romance. You should read it with me!

Side note related to this: In college sometimes the only thing that got me out of bed and motivated in the morning was the thought of Saga breakfasts. Thinking about triangle hashbrowns, scrambled eggs, and cheese gave me hope for the day (don't judge). This morning in the shower I was lacking motivation when suddenly I realized that once I got on the bus I could crack open Lonesome Dove and find out what happened next. Tada! Motivation.
Whatever it takes, right?

Flashback!

I just found this video of my high school graduating class singing 'Hawai'i Aloha' at our baccalaureate in May 2005. Five years ago! You can even spot me twice. This makes me miss Hawai'i nei... I'm sitting at my computer at work singing along (ever so quietly).

Away to Pittsfield

I promised you pictures and pictures you will get. Here are some highlights from Paige and my weekend trip to her hometown...
This is Adrienne. It may look like Paige is attacking her, but it's the opposite. Adrienne was realllly excited about picking raspberries. In fact, she stole many from us. Ha!

One of our first stops was for lunch (ahem, "lunch") at the Dari Ripple. Mmm... ice cream! And candy!

Yep, that's me, the city-island girl, jumping at the corn's edge.

Mama and baby. She's five hours old and is standing for the first time. Let's just say, she was a little bit shell-shocked.

Omigosh, I was in the midst of COWS. I was excited.

Time is blowing my mind! We stopped in itty-bitty Time, Illinois to take some photos and make some time puns, including: let's journey through Time!

Roomies!

So those are some photo highlights of our weekend. We came back tired, sunned, and happy. I'm still dreaming of ice cream from the Dari Ripple...

Reading List: Nathaniel Philbrick

I want you all to know about the author and historian Nathaniel Philbrick. His books are just spectacular. Philbrick has an astounding way of telling a gripping, detailed story with mounds of facts, research, and description. And his titles have won many awards and gotten much recognition. I' definitely a fan. Let me tell you about the three books I've read...

I first read "In the Heart of the Sea" in a history class at Wheaton. This book won the National Book Award. It's the true story of the whaleship Essex - the drama that the Moby Dick novel was based on. In it, a whaling ship is brought down by a whale and the wrecked crew sails across the pacific to South America. Spellbinding.

Shortly after reading "In the Heart of the Sea," I picked up "Mayflower" and ripped through it over a Christmas vacation. It (clearly) tells the story of the Mayflower and its pilgrims as well as the Native Americans living in America. So good.

I just bought this third Philbrick book, "Sea of Glory," at a tiny (and so amazing) used bookstore in Chicago and I'm sitting at my desk counting down the minutes til I get to open it again. This book tells the story of The U.S. Exploring Expedition that set out in a journey of equal importance to (and possibly exceeding) that of Lewis and Clark. Yet, most of us have never heard of it. I'm so looking forward to finding out what happens next (currently the men are battling the waves and ice of Antarctica) but I'm also afraid for it to end!

So go check out a Nathaniel Philbrick book from your local library or purchase your own copy. If you're near my hometown you can borrow my copy of "Mayflower" - but only if you promise to return it. :)

[This is the first in an official semi-regular post called Reading List. I'll use it to convince/persuade/manipulate you into reading books I think are fantastic. Sound good?]

Rain makes corn...

So I went home with Paige over the weekend to downstate Illinois(ie). I have many pictures to share including [more] corn shots, NEWBORN COWS, herds of cows, raspberries, Time, and a jolly dog named Adrienne. When I get my life in order and have those pictures on my computer (maybe tonight?), I will share. In the meantime, look how high the corn is growing! Also, did you know that there's a difference between corn you eat and corn that makes grain/corn syrup/ethanol? I didn't. So there's your corn fact for the day. (Unless of course you're much more educated in the ways of corn and farming than me. Sigh. I'm just a city/island girl.)

Look who sent me an email...

So I signed President Obama's birthday card yesterday and he sent me a thank you email! I think we must be best friends now...

Book covers

The other day I was wandering a bookstore, pointing out to Dave all the book covers I liked. After about three, I stopped and said, "Wait, I think I'm just pointing to all the ones with heavy typography." He just laughed and nodded. Case in point, this book, today's internet find which I think is cool. The big type gets an extra +100 from me because it's in MY FAVORITE COLORS.

[designed by Sarah Greeno. Via The Casual Optimist.]

The cute police called...

They want their puppy back.


Sigh. This is my puppy who is grown up. How can you resist a face like this?

My baby!

I got a bike this weekend! I'm in love. It's a brown (!) Schwinn Collegiate. This picture is one from Craigslist, so it's not that great - I'll be sure to take a good one (complete with me in my dorky helmet?) and post it sometime this week.

The last few bike experiences I've had have been... terrible. It's always been trying to ride someone else's bike and it's usually too big for me so I ended up frustrated, walking alongside the bike, and yes, in tears. [Also, certain friends, *ahem* Katie, insist I've never known how to ride a bike.] SO, how excited am I now that I have a bike intended for a short (or perfect sized, however you choose to see it) person!? I am very excited.

I went on a long bike ride on the lake yesterday and it was just so fun. I am very excited for end of the summer/fall bike rides.

I'm trying to think of a name for my new baby, so if you have any ideas, feel free to share.