De Vivre La Langue

These videos have been making blog rounds, for good reason. The typography is such a keen way of integrating language into travel fantasy. Of course I'm partial to Paris, but all of them are wonderful.

I haven't been putting any efforts toward that longing to learn French, but that video certainly alights the desire. Sigh. Just another member of the collective wanting to jet off to more exotic places this dreary time of year.

Here's one more video to exalt the joys of le Francais. ;)

My Valentine

This week brought us a mini February heat wave--40-50°! People are a little giddy and carried away by the warmth, so appropriate for this week's end. I'll call it Valentine weather, a love-induced flush.

On Monday my sweet Valentine left work early to meet me for a quick bite and a showing of Casablanca at a little theatre....I guess that was many-a lovers' plan because it was completely sold out....we'll remember next year. Instead, we grabbed cappucino and hot chocolate from LA Burdick to sip while waiting for the bus. At home we watched When Harry Met Sally. A wonderful Valentine's Day...a vignette of the simple loveliness of my life with this fellow.

*

My mom sent a sweet Valentine package: a cutely quirky bee-girl valentine, favorite sour cherry balls, and a little bundle of family heirloom silver spoons. A reminder to create small and lovely moments daily, and to create special occasions rather than wait for them. <3 This day's special occasion: chai and girl scout cookies. After all, those darn cookies are only around once a year. So coveted.

My mom and pop went dancing for Valentine's Day this year. Isn't that great? :) Did anyone else celebrate?

Seeing Hearts

Happy Valentine's Day!

Are you celebrating this year? Do you have special plans today? In past years I maybe didn't like Valentine's Day so much, but nowadays I rather like it. Not because of my relationship status (it's been a long time since I wasn't in a relationship!) but because of the commercial, cheesy romance aspect of it. But as one of our customers remarked the other day about her favorite holiday, "What's not to love about pink, pretty things and chocolate?" I quite agree!

I got a late start on handmade Valentines as I was sparked by inspiration just days before I needed to send them. That said, I made a very limited edition, so my apologies if you didn't receive one from me this year. Beginning with the idea of "seeing hearts" I decided to make a series with iconic eyewear! Each Valentine features a favorite bespectacled icon with a coordinating phrase "eyechart" on the back.

To show you the whole set and make it a little more fun, I've created a little matching game below! Take a stab at matching the eyewear to the appropriate phrase. Answers will be at the bottom! ;)

1. Buddy Holly 2. Edith Head 3. John Lennon

4. Noam Chomsky 5. Woody Allen 6. Kanye Wet

7. IM Pei 8. Andy Warhol

A B C

D E F

G H

However you may (or may not) be celebrating, have a lovely Valentine's Day! I will be holding tight to my own all-year-round Valentine and most likely enjoying some chocolate. Really, I barely need the excuse.

<3

how'd you do?

Answers: 1H, 2G, 3E, 4F, 5A, 6D, 7B, 8C

You, Me and the Weekend.

I've been getting a lot of weekends off over the last month. I'm certainly not complaining. In fact, I'm coveting them...I try not to say much, keep it quiet, just in case it is an accident and they could be taken away. shhh.... :)

I love having my weekends to spend with Nathan. Aside from dinner with my good friend Ashley on Friday night (the Red Lentil is becoming 'our spot'...we both go gaga for the beet latkes), Nathan and I had the whole weekend to ourselves. It was fantastic...one perfect long date weekend. Saturday was chilly, so we stayed in doing household things and watching Arrested Development most of the day. We only left the house that evening for dinner (Tommy Doyle's...funny thing: we tried to eat here our first night in Cambridge, but the kitchen was already closed) and to finally see Black Swan. I loved it.

Sunday had a lazy start. The good ol' Sunday-sleep-in, followed by a batch of homemade pancakes and veggie sausage.

single flapjack.

the whole delicious stack and fake sausages.

After the big breakfast we bundled up and went to the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum. Nathan and I haven't done too much exploring off the green line yet, so we enjoyed seeing more of the city. The museum is remarkable. First entering the museum, walking into the loggia and seeing the inner courtyard, is breathtaking. How one woman could dream up such a place and collect so much over her lifetime is amazing. This one goes on my list of favorite museums.

enormous! this place was her house...can you imagine drinking tea in your own private courtyard amongst ancient roman statues, or entertaining in a parlor decorated with Titian and Giotto? Or letting Sargent use a room for his studio? I couldn't take any interior photos, but it's definitely worth looking up.

Renzo Piano is building an extension. Oh Mr. Piano, prince of museum expansions.

We had a short warm-up over coffee and chocolate croissant before taking the train home. Taking the T through the city with this fine young man is one of my simple pleasures.

We capped our weekend with dinner at home and Alphaville. Godard is a stylish filmmaker, but he may be too much for me. I better brush up on my French theory and New Wave history. yikes. A little more Arrested Development before bed.

More perfect Boston weekends, please.

The Blizzard at Our Door

Happy Groundhog Day...

Take a look at this and tell me what you think, Phil.

Winter. Forever.

We had another several inches yesterday (who's counting anymore?) and freezing rain this morning. There's now a crispy sheet of ice covering all that fluffy snow. Alas, there's nowhere more for the snow to go! I tried to help out with the shoveling last night, but the snow I threw onto the piles just rolled back down to the walk. hmpf

2 conclusions:

It's not too late to get snow boots after all.

Next year we may need to schedule a warm weather vacation into our regular holiday planning.

And no, I have not gone any farther from my house than this today.

In the words of Al Roker, I hope you're staying toasty, in your neck of the woods.