The Pop Five
This was a tough news week. I’m so sad for Oklahomans. The story of the path of devastation hit very close to home. My parents met and married in OKC and we have family there. I hope the town of Moore and the surrounding areas can begin the long process of healing and starting over. Here’s to a weekend of remembering to hold your loved ones tight and taking a moment to appreciate just how fleeting and precious life actually is.
They don’t make ‘em like George Plimpton anymore! This looks so good.
I barely passed Economics 101 in college. My professor stumped me on day one with his explainer of the theory that “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” So, this piece about black market drug trade is both fascinating and baffling to me.
Image: Courtesy of David McNew/Getty Images
Isn’t this photo series on abandoned farmhouses stunning?
Image: © Niki Feijen
I can get behind the Donald Miller Storyline.
Image: Courtesy of Laura Dart
I’ve recently added salads into our weeknight meal repertoire. I’m not talking about the iceberg and mushy tomato piles of water I was accustomed to in the Midwest, but hearty greens that actually fill you up. I made this on Monday night. So good!
Image: Courtesy of Con Poulous
The Pop Five
It’s been week of change at our house. Margaret recently started on solids, so I’ve been experimenting with making baby food, which has been fun, but a little intimidating. I’m trying to just jump right in with it all, since this phase of Margaret’s development was one of the ones I was looking forward to the most. As the mother of a daughter, I truly feel that if I do nothing else for her, if I can give her a foundation for a healthy relationship with wonderful, well-balanced, nutritious foods, I’ll have done a decent job.
Here’s to a weekend of good eating, no matter your age.
I cannot wait to see this documentary.
For creatives (like myself) that set their own schedule, this Fast Company article is very interesting.
Image: Fickr user Rodrigo Soldon via Fast Company
Speaking of creative-types, The New Yorker recently published this incredible piece on parenting.
Image: Courtesy of The New Yorker
How cool is this couch?
Image: Courtesy of ZO_loft
This Washington Post article asks the question, Are foodies quietly killing rock-and-roll? Super interesting and the above photo I took of Crif Dogs hotdogs at Bonnaroo further proves the point.
Retire Already
I might be getting snarky in my old age, but one of my favorite sections in Sunday’s NYT Magazine is the Meh List. Those items that are just so-so. Not loathsome or great, but just meh.
Ever since I had Margaret my time is very limited, which in a lot of ways is a good thing because it weeds out the mundane, and mostly only the best things are left. In my spare time I want to be reading only the best blogs and articles, but there are several things that keep popping up in my daily reading on lifestyle sites. Here are five trends I’d love to see slip off today’s pop-culture radar that qualify as meh.
Mustache anything. On bartenders, on baby bodysuits, it’s not cute anymore. If I see one more kid birthday party on Pinterest with a ‘stache theme I might punch the computer. My nephew did that two years ago (had the party, not punched the computer, but he could’ve done that too).
Image: Via Bottle Your Brand / Pinterest
Barcarts. I get it you like to drink. Store it in your kitchen cupboard like every other normal person off the wagon and welcome to the year 2013. Don Draper, it’s no longer 1963. Also seen often as a sidebar to barcart stories is the use of “ista” on the end of anything. Remodelista and fashionista particularly are the most annoying.
Image: Courtesy of Brunch at Saks
I’m so over fashion bloggers talking about avocado toast like they cracked the ratio to the 11 herbs and spices in KFC’s chicken recipe. Seriously, get over yourself; it’s mashed up avocado on toast. (However, it is my everyday lunch of late; I just don’t need a recipe telling me how to make it.)
Image: Courtesy of Lauren Conrad via Sacramento Street
Can we stop naming children after presidents? Lincoln, Jackson, Monroe, Clinton, Harrison, Wilson, Truman, Taylor—you get the idea. Today’s Kennedy is yesterday’s Jennifer.
Image: Courtesy of Leah Rocketto via the bump
The Kimye and Royal baby arrivals. Baby bump, orca whale comparisons, nursery themes, shower registries … frankly, I couldn’t care less.
Image: Courtesy GMA
The Pop Five
This Sunday is my first Mother’s Day, which seems like it should be a big deal, but like most days of this nature (Valentine’s, Father’s, etc.) I always think of the underdog. I feel for those singletons on Valentine’s Day that are ready for love and still searching for their partner in life, just as I do the fatherless daughters on Father’s Day, or all women hoping for a baby and each month passing without two blue lines on a pregnancy test. My heart aches for each of them. Two years ago I was trying to get pregnant and wasn’t (and at that time we didn’t know why) and when Mother’s Day rolled around I couldn’t even look at social networking sites flooded with endearing images of handmade, glued on macaroni greeting cards and vases of weeds, picked special, for Mom. And now here we are.
It’s taken me six months, but I do feel like I’m settling into my groove a bit more with the work/life/motherhood balance. On the work front, I had reshoots several days last week for a book project that publishes in November and I started working with a new client recently on a very fun writing gig. While my work has been a very different pace than it was before Margaret, it is manageable and I’m consciously changing directions with my business. My writing is going from much more editorial driven pieces to a copywriting role (which is a bit easier with a wee one for multiple reasons), a welcome shift.
Here are the five things that topped my week.
With graduation season upon us, this is such an awesome message.
Margaret turned six months on Wednesday. I feel like I hit the kid jackpot with a very happy, content, giggly, silly, wonderful little girl and I couldn’t love being her mom more.
My cousin hosted us for dinner a couple of weeks back and served whipped feta with crudités … this recipe is so easy and good!
Image: Courtesy of How Sweet It Is
As someone who is team pacifier I find this both absolutely disgusting and interesting.
I’m fascinated by this photography project about Tamms supermax prison called, Photo Requests from Solitary.
Image: Courtesy of Laurie Jo Reynolds and Stephen Eisenman, via Creative Time Reports. Photo by Chris Murphy, 2012
The Pop Five
This week was kind of bonkers. Truly, last weekend really was the definition of the word. Dan came home late Friday evening from his work retreat and I was relieved to see him after three days of doing the solo mama thing (which went surprisingly well, by the way, but I was a teeny bit jealous imagining him at work dinners and sleeping eight hours straight) only to have him pass a kidney stone around 11 a.m. on Saturday morning. Always an adventure! He’s on the mend, but honestly they should be a bit more specific during the sickness and health part during marriage vows. Talk about up close and personal. Here’s to a weekend with zero E.R. visits! Make it a good one.
Isn’t this photography project amazing?
Image: Courtesy of 22 Words
I make pizza dough weekly, but never attempted breadmaking (despite it being very similar ingredients) until now. This one is very simple to make (it just requires time for rising) and so good! Plus, is there anything better than freshly baked bread, hot out of the oven?
Mix up a mint julep, the Kentucky Derby is this weekend! This 60 Minutes piece on Rosie Napravnik is fantastic and will get you in the mood for the race. Go Mylute (and Rosie)!
I’m daydreaming of somewhere to wear this number and a reason to buy it. Obsessed.
Who says hostels have to blah? Check out these chic rooms that look more boutique hotel than hostel.
Image: Joao Pedro Marnoto for The New York Times
The Pop Five
Dan’s been at an offsite work retreat here since Wednesday so I’ve been doing the solo mom thing for a few days. Whew, I don’t know how single mothers do it. Honestly, hats off to you! We plan on having a semi-relaxing weekend at home with Dan’s parents who arrive tonight. Have a lovely weekend!
I’ve been a Steve Martin fan forever, but listening to Born Standing Up one road trip years ago solidified his supreme talent for me. He’s collaborated with Edie Brickell on Love Has Come for You, which released on Tuesday.
Image: © Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times
How great are these photos from BuzzFeed?
Image: Shreyans Bhansali / via: thebigdurian
I love anything Brian Stelter (can you believe he’s only 27?!) writes and was particularly impressed with last Sunday’s NYT Magazine cover story. It’s about the cut-throat realm of morning television news, which is interesting enough, but I thought the real story also lies with the discrepancy between Matt Lauer and Ann Curry’s salaries. That said, the review of Stelter’s book that the article is based, Top of the Morning is pretty scathing.
Image: © Photo illustration by Bobby Doherty for The New York Times. Digital composite by Picturehouse. Video still from NBC
I made this quinoa lasagna and it is so good! It’s loaded with veggies, pretty simple to throw together and was great to have on hand to reheat throughout the week.
I finally read Julia Reed’s take on a Dixie playlist in the latest issue of Garden & Gun. Love this piece.
Image: © Michael Witte
The Pop Five
I could do an entire post featuring photos of my twin sister, Ann with Margaret, but I’ll refrain. Ann’s visit made me think of family more than usual.
I have great memories of my mom baking on Friday afternoons. She worked part-time at a dental clinic and she’d start her weekend early, baking rustic loaves of bread, chocolate chip cookies, or fruit tarts. When I worked at MSN, I got in the habit of taking Friday afternoons off (just after a weekly conference call), making pizza crust, and letting it rise until dinner. I have an abundance of lemon pound cake leftover from a dinner party last week, so I think I’m going to try my hand at incorporating it into a trifle. Here’s to Friday rituals and starting the weekend slow.
I know this has floated around the web quicker than the Mr. Rogers’ helper quote this week, but I love the campaign Dove is doing. It’s worth a watch.
Who is my generation’s Audrey Hepburn of style? Gwyneth Paltrow? (Even though according to Star magazine, she’s the most hated celebrity)? Kate Moss? Chloë Sevigny? Vanity Fair’s recent issue looks at Hepburn’s fashionable life and the photos are stunning.
Image: From Reporters Associati, digital colorization by Lorna Clark
Forget lullabies and kid tunes … if there’s nothing I have learned in my five months of being a parent, it’s that when we need to pull out the big guns to get Margaret to sleep, we put on Sigur Rós. It works like a charm. Every. Time. I’m pretty excited for their new album, Kveikur, slated to release in June (and not just because it’ll give us more trance-tunes to get the baby to crash).
Tuesday, I received a delivery of Chuice. Is it wrong that I promptly put it in my fridge right next to the Irish cider, beer, and half empty bottle of coke (my husband’s mixer from the night before)? I sampled one of each blend Forrest (green juice) and River of Live (red) and both are really good. I’m a nursing mama, so I couldn’t all together do as a meal replacement (which I think is what most people do), mine was more like a mid-day snack (half a bottle) then a small lunch. I honestly felt a little pep in my step with all those fruits, nuts, and veggies!
Did you read this story? The CEO of the U.K department store chain, Next, donated his $3.6-million bonus to his employees. A feel-good story amidst a hard news week. I collaborated with Next on this piece back in 2010, and they couldn’t be lovelier to work with.
Image: Courtesy of Next Media
The Pop Five
In the course of about three weeks I’ll have seen each of my siblings in the flesh, as well as my in-laws and mother. I saw my brother, David for a quick dinner on Wednesday while he’s in town on business, and my twin sister, Ann arrives tomorrow! In-between basking in family time, here are things I’ve stumbled upon this week.
The iconic designer Lilly Pulitzer passed away on Sunday. I love her famous quote, Life’s a party. Dress like it. The New York Times put together a great slideshow on her fabulous life.
Image: Courtesy of Howell Conant
This weekend will be abuzz with food writers and some of the best chefs in the country at the New South Family Supper this Sunday hosted by Atlanta’s Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison. One of my favorite writers to read, John T. Edge, talks about the event for the Southern Foodways Alliance, here.
Image: Courtesy of Yvonne Boyd
I love Drew Barrymore’s honest assessment of women and work that was published earlier this week. Bless her for actually saying out loud that something has to give.
Image: Courtesy of Donato Sardella for WWD
Next time I feel too tired to workout, I’ll think of Mike Fremont, the 91-year-old that ran (and finished) the Knoxville half-marathon last weekend. What an inspiration.
Image: Courtesy of Garrett Landers/Cincinnati Enquirer
Seeing Margaret in a swimsuit was absolutely adorable and watching her splash in the pool in Florida is such a great memory. However, it was just after this photo was taken that things abruptly went south. Major. Meltdown. (Not unlike, this.) But, before that, her smile was ear to ear.
The Pop Five
Right now, I’m in Siesta Key, visiting my inlaws. Between now and Sunday, I have plans to dive into a plate of peel-and-eat shrimp, take oodles of photos of Margaret splashing in the pool, soak up as much sun and ocean air as possible, and get my first sip of a quality margarita since I had the baby. Here’s to a wonderful weekend!
Have you heard of Yogascapes? DailyCandy clued me in and oh-my-goodness, I must start saving for a trip!
Image: Courtesy of Bill Tipper / Yogascapes
This article, Drive-Thru Marketing: Bite-Sized Marketing for an Impatient World, is about how much information consumption has changed with social media and it’s worth a read (even though it’s more than 1,000 words).
Image: Courtesy of mlkshk.com
How cool does this project look? It gives me chills! Could you imagine?
I had such a social weekend last weekend (filled with really good food). On Saturday, we went here, and then the next night, feasted on roast chicken and banoffee pie over to friend’s house. At the Saturday dinner, I had cannelloni with Swiss chard and a mushroom ragout, which I must try to recreate at home. I’ll begin my attempt with this recipe.
Image: Courtesy of kitchenography.com
I’m reeling a bit in the family and friends I saw a couple of weeks ago when I went back home. My feelings of traveling home have changed a lot through the years. There was a long period where I didn’t love going home and the way it made me feel.
round my hometown, memories are fresh
I now know Leavenworth holds my roots, Atlanta, my wings.
The Pop Five
Right now, I’m at my mom’s house in Kansas. I’m soaking up time with my sister, niece, nephew, dear friends, and of course, my mother. Here are five finds that made my week fabulous.
It’s spring break somewhere! Doesn’t this recipe for a spicy cucumber margarita sound delish?
My twin sister, Ann, booked a flight to Atlanta! She’s coming in less than a month and I’m bouncing off the walls. Cannot. Wait.
This dress just screams spring. Plus, I adore the danapop mint!
I made chocolate chip cookie bars recently and it reminds me that while my palate may sometimes gravitate towards more complex flavors, nothing beats a plate (or pan) of Nestlé Toll House cookies.
The ladies at Parents’ Morning Out told me that Miss Margaret is ready for a walker! She’s been using the one there and loves it. I’ve been researching ones to buy and think I’ve settled on this one. PS – why are baby toys so ridiculously bulky?
