Just Saying

If for whatever reason Nathan in the future would go back on his original notion that living with me was a good idea (hahaha) and decide to leave me :'( I will most likely track down Andrew Bird and force him to marry me.

I will convince him this is a good arrangement by supplying plenty of violin and guitar strings, keeping his suits well pressed, and helping him brainstorm more zaney rhyme schemes (don't they make rhyming dictionaries? I'd have one of these). I would have a thermos of honey-lemon tea and a pocket of chapsticks to make sure his crooning and whistling is always top-notch.


Very fortunately Nathan and I have a good thing going, so this wild eyed scenario isn't going to happen. And thank goodness, because the ol' boy makes me very happy (for instance, he brought me a donut this morning!) And let's be honest, hunting down Suitor no.2 would be a feat, and I would be a very jealous stage wife...Although I was once a mere 4 steps to Andrew Bird and terribly excited about it (me--dance teacher--Dosh, the drummer--Andrew Bird)!

But for real--he might be the world's best whistler, and that's enough for me.

Fitz & Dizzyspells - Andrew Bird

Because I love you...

III maaaaddde...

...COOKIES!

Because I love you Nathan, and I want you to have cookies.

I'll try to stay away.

Happy Birthday Taylor!

Attention, world: today is my big brother's birthday! woohoo! 

I wish I could be there to help you make it a completely foolish 26th birthday.

Let's take a look at your cute little baby mug:

25 years ago, before little sister was on the scene...

A few things I learned from my brother:

Michael Jackson dance moves

How to really appreciate Monty Python

Some history of rock music, and how to compile a good mixtape

How to convince yourself scary movies are not so scary by doing your own commentary

I heard Mom made you some sort of crazy delicious cheesecake, and I deeply regret that I am not there to partake. 

Of course, I probably would have made you something like this, but whatevs.

Have a great day big brother Tato! I love you!

Quest: Perfect Salad

I am having dinner at a friend's tonight and plan to take along a salad for accompaniment. On a regular basis I'm a bit lazy and cheap out on doing anything more than lettuce, carrots and celery. For this occasion I'd like to add some fixings, but I can't decide. I love a sweet and citrus inspired salad, though it's hard for me not to use calamata olives if I have any reason to.  A friend once brought a salad with pomegranate seeds to a potluck, and it was so awesome. And then of course....during my very brief time in France I ate tomato, basil, and mozzarella salads numerous times.* I think their soil must grow better vegetables. I don't know that I have ever enjoy eating anything more in my entire life. 

*I first had a salad of this kind in New York City and didn't like it. This was still during the phase of my life that I didn't enjoy a fresh tomato. I must have been expecting something else because when the waiter set it in front of me I was for whatever reason almost moved to cry (and terribly embarrassed, by the way). I must have been exhausted, or maybe I was bummed NY wasn't perfect anymore.

Don't you sometimes wish you were a food photographer? I really like looking at beautiful photos of food, both prepared in lovely bowls and with the ingredients laying there before being mixed up. I also like the way my friend Tyler photographs food, which he makes look slightly disconcerting and often very object-like. Like, if you saw a creme brulee in one of his photos you might call it Food and not creme brulee. I hope he won't mind me sharing one of his nice ones.

"Chicago's Twice Thrice"

A real food classic, here with shadows

Oh yeah....it's Cupcake Day on the Martha Stewart Show. I'm still not over yesterday's cupcake lust, and this is just cruel. After kind of a funny morning I'm having the kind of day that if everything else doesn't go just right I might go to bed.

P.S. I want this

So. Bad.

I have a major sweet tooth today. 

Maybe for the sake of celebration...

Signed, Sealed, Delivered!

Hello there Mr. President.

Welcome home, Obamas!

What a cute family.

Today is a good day...even though we set our alarm for 7am to see the Inauguration (and hit snooze til 7:45). Don't you agree? I can't help it, I like this family. I hope they like their new home and their new lives. I hope in 4 years, 8 years, they can be as happy as they look in this photo. And of course, I hope things are looking up for all of us in the next few years too.

What were you doing eight years ago? Do you remember who you were when Bush took office, have you changed? I was 14, going on 15, a high school freshman. I went to school, I had dance and soccer, friends and a boyfriend. I got into college, moved away to college, made friends and got my first apartment. I took lots of classes, learned about design, loved design (and hated it). I belly danced, I stayed up all night, I got another apartment, I graduated. I left Chicago, packed a van, and I moved with Nathan to Seattle (thereabouts). I finished a project, found a new apartment, and looked for a job. I look for a job. I'm 22, but I will be 23 in a month and a half.

A lot changed! I know I was a kid and that everything was supposed to change. I had lots of changes already laid out in front of me that I knew would basically happen. But now we have 4 more years, and a lot can change again. What will you be doing, where will you be, in 2012? Yikes!

Oh Sunny Day

Sunshine on my shoulder certainly does make me happy.

It's our second day of a weekend full of sunshine,

lighting up our little home, keeping us warm.

If I lived here I'd drag a blanket into one of those sunbeams 

and spend Sundays reading magazines. 

I'd put on some albums and lie there listening to music echoing 

through that grand hall-like room.

There's nothing more important in making a home than allowing for sunbeams.