Where have you been all my life Jen Lancaster?

Seriously, she's like my inner monologue only she puts it out there. OK, sometimes, as many of you know, so do it, but still she's freakin' hilarious.

And she's just what I need right now.

A friend recommended her to me recently (thanks again other Megan!) and I've been staying up way to late every night giggling and laughing until I cry while reading her book Jenreration X.

I love nothing more than a good, funny, smartly written summer read. I'm sure I'll be reading all of her best sellers this summer.

What are some of your favorite summer reads & authors?

And speaking of summer reads. Did you see this awesome world-record setting book chain from the Seattle Public Library in honor of their summer reading program? It's a must see.

Library Time!

Who doesn't love the library? So many adventures waiting to be had! One of the many things I love about the Seattle Public Library are these great book bags. They are customized for either toddlers or preschoolers. And there are on every topic you can think of. From zoo animals to potty training to season to becoming a big brother/sister. Every topic. Seriously. 

They were very highly regarded by some of my friends with kids, so I decided to try them out. I strolled down to the main branch on my lunch break to see what they had. I opted to go with farm animals.

The bags come with about 8 books including and activity book for parents and kids and a CD. We lucked out and scored with an Elizabeth Mitchell CD which I loved a bit more than Ruby!

As you can see, it was a huge success! She loved it, I loved it. If you haven't checked one out yet, do so. And if you're not in Seattle, maybe your library has something similar.

Happy reading!

Little Free Library

Have you heard of them?

Little Free Libraries are popping up around neighborhoods all over the world. They are just that, little free libraries that people set up in their yards with the purpose of sharing the love of reading.

On a recent morning walk, Ruby and I discovered one in our neighborhood.

We peeked in and low & behold, we found a little board book by one of our favorite authors. 

Ruby was thrilled! 

Now we just need to head back to this little free library and return one of our books to pass along for someone else.

P.S. Aren't these Little Free Libraries so cute? I kind of want to build one in my front yard! Don't you?

In need of a good read

I’ve gotten into this bad habit of crawling into bed with my iPhone. I flip through twitter and end up reading about celebrity gossip and issues in the Middle East and Egypt. Apparently at the end of my day, I have very broad interests. And then I play solitaire for a while.

It’s not the best way to end my day, so I’m looking for a little guidance. Any one gotta good book recommendation?

Here’s the thing though, I’m kind of picky (and going through a phase right now – only happy stuff)

• Nothing scary. No gory/grizzly murders. Zombies need not apply.
• Nothing too emotional. No cute animals dying. No heart break. Nada.

Just something that makes me happy and want to cozy up in bed or on the couch on a rainy weekend day and read with a cup of tea.


Thank you in advance for your suggestions!

West Seattle Fabric Company: A midweek treat

The other day I had a slightly (OK very) painful PT session. The hubby and I decided drinks & hamburgers were needed to recover. So he drove us to a place he likes to go for a good burger and great fries. It happens to be located just down the block from the new West Seattle Fabric Company. I jumped out of the car and squealed with delight (well, it was some sort of noise of joy) at the chance to finally check this place out. It opened in December while I was recovering from wrist surgery so I missed visiting it earlier.

 I met Monica, the owner and fabric enthusiast. She's a delight and super friendly and helpful. She didn't mind my mindless wandering. While we both admitted to not being the best seamstresses out there (smart money says she's waaaay better than me) we do share a love of all things fabric. Especially the pretty ones! And as you can see, she's got quite the selection!

Feeling I needed a little pick me up after PT, I decided on a book since I'm not sewing these days. She recommended One Yard Wonders and while I've only flipped through it (several times), I can tell this is going to be really great to use. And this adorable little shop is going to be just the place to pick up my supplies and take some classes. And it's in my hood. I can walk to this place. Yeah, I'm kinda screwed but in a good, crafty kind of way.

Oh, and the burgers, in case you're looking for a place with fabulous burgers and fries that are too die for, check out the Admiral Pub. I mean you'll be in the hood and hungry after all that fabric shopping at the West Seattle Fabric Company.

West Seattle Fabric Company

2210 California Ave SW

Seattle, WA 98116

(Sorry for the not so great pics. They really don't do the store justice. With the broken wrist I can't hold my nice fancy camera that I bought myself for my birthday in July.)

I am Elinor Dashwood

I saw this post on Sara's blog and I just had to procrastinate my laundry more and take it right away: Which Jane Austen Heroine are you? I have to admit, my answers were a bit all over the place so I wasn't sure who I'd end up being. But Sense and Sensibility was the first Jane Austen book I ever read (and still one of my all time favorites) I think this answer will do!

No, I’m not going crazy, it’s for the tourists

In my last post I mentioned our road trip through the Olympic Peninsula. Well, if you’ve read any of the Twilight books you no doubt know, that’s the stomping ground of vampires and werewolves, at least according to Stephanie Meyer.


You have to give credit to the small town of Forks for trying to make a few bucks off of these books. Everywhere in the town is some sort of Twilight sign; hotels welcoming Twilighters, specials for Bella Burgers, etc. You can also visit not one, but two Dazzled by Twilight stores in town (if you’ve been to Forks you know how small it is so to have two of these stores is pretty amazing.)


Even Jacob’s stomping ground of La Push is in on the frenzy. La Push is even smaller than Forks mind you. As you enter the town, the little restaurant has a Pepsi banner that reads “No Vampires Beyond This Point.” You can also grab a coffee a Jacob’s Java. The town store is decorated in Team Jacob mania. Edward need not apply.


But the thing that had me doing a double take is the fact that as you drive into a town there is a house and separate garage that was painted red, complete with an old trailer in front. At first I thought, no….that couldn’t be. That place looks just like the scene of Jacob’s house in New Moon. As we drove out of town I looked again. This time I realized I wasn’t crazy, it was painted and designed to look like Jacob’s house. I knew this for sure because the Twilight Tour bus full of people was pulling in the driveway.


*For you Twilighters out there, I apologize for the lack of pictures of all of this stuff. I wanted to stop and take some but the hubby just shook his head and kept on driving. He claims to be on Team Mike Newton.

A little happy dance in my cubicle

The other day at work I was doing a little research for a story when I stumbled upon this:

HOW TO USE A TOMATO TO TELL YOUR LIFE STORY
with Matthew Amster-Burton and Molly Wizenberg

It's a writing class at 826 Seattle. I've taken several of their classes before and I've loved them all. But this one is by Molly Wizenberg, of My Homemade Life and one of my favorite authors and bloggers.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I did a little happy dance in my cubicle when I signed up for the class! It's tomorrow night so stay tuned for details.

Some of my favorite things

The wind and rain has returned to Seattle. Gone are the recent unseasonably warm sunny days we’ve had recently. It was just what I needed to help snap me out of my February funk.

 (I snapped this pic on my camera phone while out for a walk along Alki on Sunday morning. The snow capped mountains in the background are the Olympics.)

So as I reach once again for the rain coat (really, this is Seattle so it’s never that far away), I’m going to try and think about some of the things that have made me happy these past few, warm sunny days. I thought I’d share them with you:


500 Days of Summer – I recently saw this movie. And I loved it! Seriously loved it. It was such a good story of love, friendship, heartbreak and the hope that there is love out there. I’ll admit it left me crushin’ a bit on Joseph Gordon-Levit.


The Guernsey Literary and Sweet Potato Pie Society – I’m about halfway through this book and I feel like I’m right there on Guernsey with the crew. I don’t think I want this book to end.


Seeing a movie by myself – I don’t get to do this often but I recently had the opportunity when the hubby was out of town. I love going to the movies by myself because I can watch whatever I want. And I don’t have to share my movie popcorn with anyone. In case you’re wondering, I saw New Moon (and loved it!)


Roasted Vegetables – I haven’t been doing a lot cooking lately (the hubby is doing it for a while these days) but I recently tried a new recipe for roasted butternut squash, onion and garlic. When they were done roasting the recipe called for squeezing half of an orange over the veggies. I can’t even begin to describe how good it tasted. I ate the hunks of butternut squash and onion with my hand as I stood over the stove, it was that good.


So there you go. A few things that are making me happy as we slip back into the gloomy dark days of late spring. What makes you happy these days?

Sucked in

I have a confession. I’ve recently started reading the Twilight series. And while they aren’t works of literary genius, they are quite addicting. I don’t remember the last time I blew through 500 plus pages in a weekend.

(This picture is completly and totally ripped off from Sara's site & her Twlight entry)

I will say this: my inner 15 year-old-girl is so loving it! While she can’t decide if she’s on Team Jacob or Team Edward (it flips pretty much with each chapter), one thing is for sure, neither of them are quite like Gilbert*. And my inner 15 year-old-girl will always be on Team Gilbert.

(*You get bonus points if you know what I’m referring too. That is anyone, except Sara!)

A Homemade Life: my book report

I decided to treat myself to Molly Wizenburg’s book A Homemade Life. I can honestly say it’s one of the best treats I’ve bought myself in a long, long while.  
                                                            
To say I loved this book is a bit of an understatement. Molly’s* writing is so clear and conversational, I felt like we were great friends and she was simply telling me about her day.

I believe Molly and I could actually be friends if we met in real life and here’s why:
1. We both live in Seattle, thus making the friendship geographically feasible.
2. We both have a slight obsession with Paris, to say the least (as I write this I am listening to French music).
3. We both love to cook, bake and eat.
4. We both love chocolate – dearly.
5. And she shares my belief that goat cheese pretty much makes any dish freakin’ rock.

I’ve recommended this book to pretty much everyone I know. If you haven’t read this yet, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. The chapters are short and sweet and end with a recipe that leaves you with a bit of a hungry rumble going on in your tummy.


And it’ll make you want to call your dad just to say hi and tell him you love him.


All of those things my friends, are very good.


*On an somewhat unrelated noted, Rebecca sent me an email today about a soup cooking class next week, I had ready decided to sign up before I got to the bottom of the email and discovered the class is going to be held at Molly’s restaurant Delancey. I did a little dance of joy in my cubicle. Slightly stalkerish I know.

Fruit...beware....

For Christmas my sister gave me the book jam it, pickle, cure it. She also gave me a bunch of fun jars (plus some other fun goodies!) The book has a bunch of really great recipies for jams, pickles, meats, cheeses and crackers. I think this will keep me quite busy and hopefully quite full through out the seasons!

Lucky Winner!

I was a lucky winner for one of the Blue Book Guide to Canning from the blog Canning Across America. It'a great blog founded by very talented cooks, writers, canners and many others from right here in Seattle. It's full of great culinary stories, tips and links! Check it out, then start planning your next canning party. That's what I'm doing!

Book Report: Farm City

Book: Farm City - The Education of an Urban Farmer

Author: Novella Carpenter

Farm City is the story of a woman (Novella Carpenter) and her experience as a squater when it comes to urban farming. Yes, squater. In a very bad part of Oakland, CA of all places.

I found this book incredibly charming on several levels.

1. We're both from Idaho

2. We're both journalists

3. We both live (or in her case lived) in Seattle

4. We're both slightly obsessed with our new gardens

She however takes her obsession to a level my hubby would probably not really want me to go to.

(Right now he only shakes his head when I tell him my plans for the chicken coop.)

If you enjoy gardening, this book is for you. If you enjoy growing your own food, harvesting it, finding the perfect recipe and sharing it with your friends, this book is for you. If you've ever looked out your window onto your garden and thought, yeah, I could raise chicken, geese, ducks, turkeys, rabbits, pigs and then slaughter them yourself, then this book is for you.

Ok, even if you don't go that far, this book is still a delightful, charming read that will have you laughing out loud and contemplating your role in our food/consumer relationship. Oh, and it'll make you hungry. After reading her chapters on pigs and what they will mean to her (nurishment wise, not emotionally attached to them - although that does happen), I actually ordered bacon the other day. And I ate one piece. That's a big step. For me anyway. The hubby gladly took care of the other two slices.

And after reading about her garden, I just wanted to share some of my garden pics!

DVR Alert! Olivia is coming to a small screen near you!

Just as we're thinking of canceling our cable, I read this: Olivia is getting her own T.V. show!

Who is Olivia you ask? Let me educate you. Olivia is a fabulous, spunky 6 and 3/4-year-old pig who has the most creative imagination! While I don't have any kids myself, it doesn't stop me from picking up all sorts of Olivia stuff! Ian Falconer's books are the best! I own several of them. Last Christmas, my mom gave my sister and I "Olivia Helps With Christmas" which I promptly read aloud to my entire family. It's now a staple in our holiday celebrations (I'm lucky to have a hubby who humors me. A lot.)

Regardless of how old your kids are, or even if you don't have any, rush out and pick up an Olivia adventure today!

This makes me want to pull out yet another unfinished project - the p.j. pants for me and my sister out of - you guessed it - Olivia fabric!

Tri Training, Knitting & One Less Car On The Road

In an effort to get in some triathlon training where ever I can, and to keep up with my goal of using my car less, I decided to ride my bike up to the Fiber Gallery after work to pick up my new sock book. I figured it'd be about 3 miles each way. Easy-peasy, right? Well, as you savvy Seattle knitters know, the Fiber Gallery is on Phinney Ridge. That's ridge as in big fat freakin' steep hill.

Not to be deterred, but rather challenged, I figured, why not. So I rode from my place up Fremont Ave to the zoo, then cut across to the main drag along Phinney Ridge. At about 39th and Fremont, I'm sucking wind big time. Muscles in my legs (and ass) were aching that I didn't know ever existed. So, having no shame what-so-ever, I got off and walked my bike up and even steeper part of the road. Now the thing about this road is, it's not as crazy steep as many hills in Seattle, it's a slight incline that just goes on and on (OK, maybe it's 2.1 miles, but it seemed like eternity.)

About halfway up the hill, I did get back on and power through. It was worth it. It was a beautiful afternoon and Jessica was working and greeted me with a smile. She didn't even mind that I was totally sweaty, panting, and slightly ditzy. I even couldn't remember if I needed a skein of Manos or Malibrego for a scarf I want to make.

Here's a view of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains! You don't always see that when you're whizzing by in a car!

Time for a knitalong!

Tonight I decided to join Supergirl and head over to the book reading/sign for Larissa Brown's book knitalong: Celebration the Tradition of Knitting Together. It was really interesting to hear why she and her husband decided to write a knitting book together. (Her hubby Martin is a writer and said he'd learn to knit during this process. He knit a bookmark and called it good.) They chronicled the history of why people knit together. It used to be out of necessity at times of war, but now it's more of a social gathering or for charity. I know what she's talking about. When I first was knitting, I knit with my friend Shannon. We were the only ones knitting in public. Every single time. But then I moved to Seattle, and discovered Shannon and I weren't such oddities the folks of Boise made us feel like as we knitted in public. It's true what Larissa said about being around other knitters: they make you want to challenge yourself and try something new. That has been my experience with the Purly Girls as I always feel so inspired by all their talent and creativity!