browsing history

Sneak peek pics from the Divergent set, including several glimpses of Tris and Four together.

I am not entirely sure I needed to read this: 10 natural ingredients you have no idea you're eating.

Lately, I've come a bit obsessed with Buzzfeed and their galleries and lists.  Here are a few of my favorites from the past few weeks.

-Shopping at Forever 21. 

-What morning looks like around the world.

Jenny at Dinner A Love Story wrote about this post on "vacation house cooking".  It's something that I constantly think about for our vacations, how to prepare tasty, affordable meals that won't take me hours to prepare.  I think we might've eaten much better while we were away last week if I had seen some of these great ideas.

Jenny ALSO found the most amazing children's book blog, Mrs. Little.  She wrote about this post, "What Would Half-Pint Do?"and after I clicked on the link, I fell in love.  It's an entire post describing what the author learned from Laura Ingalls Wilder's The First Four Years.

Entertainment Weekly's gallery of "snake-bit"movie productions, which sadly includes World War Z. Never a good thing to have a huge portion of your film rewritten mid-production.  I read the book, and while the book is always better than the movie, yada, yada, yada, it is really a huge disappointment to hear that the overall plot of a movie has been drastically altered from the book.  Even Sarah Linden and Brad Pitt can't save it.

the butler

It's hard to think that Lee Daniels' latest project could be anything but good.  That is a packed cast, no? And a really amazing true story.  

toddler essentials: play time

When my little guy was a wee baby, I compiled lists of our favorite things, the ones we felt we couldn't live without and used day after day.  You can take a peek here and here, if you happen to be interested. Now that he's a super active, speedy, chatty and growing little BOY (how did this happen?!), our needs are a bit more extensive and diverse.  Thus, I decided to start a little blog series of "toddler essentials", wherein I'll document our favorites for eating, playing, dressing, and perhaps a few other topics.  Since I'm in the midst of planning for the big second birthday, the fun stuff has been preoccupying my mind.

The play items I'm going to list here have all been "in circulation" for quite some time now.  I'm fairly confident that they'll keep A's interest for a while longer-he plays with most of them on a daily basis.

Play kitchen. I had my heart set on a play kitchen for A practically since his birth, and didn't even entertain the thought he might not like it too.  Thankfully, he has adored every play kitchen he's come across, so I knew it was going to be a worthwhile purchase.  Of course, I would've loved to have had  this painfully adorable retro kitchen from Pottery Barn Kids, but I have neither the space nor the mountains of cash necessary.  In the end, we went with a simple Ikea kitchen.  Every time we took a trip there, A spent all of this time in the kids' section with the kitchen.  It's basic, super easy to put together, and appealingly devoid of stickers shaped like food or flowers, which I appreciated.  There are lots of great DIY play kitchen ideas out there-I'm sure Pinterest is full of them-but I'm not handy or creative, and truth be told, I'm a bit lazy about those kinds of things.  We supplemented the kitchen with a dishwasher that I scored on Zulily, felt food from Ikea (fruit and vegetables, cheap and adorable), and the Ikea cooking accessories set.  I splurged on these adorable wooden play food toys-A loves to run over with the milk and juices and pretend for us to drink them.

ABC train. We have had the alphabet train since A was six months old.  At the time, he could sit up next to the train, listen to the music, and inevitably stick the letter pieces into his mouth.  Once he could move around more, he grew more enraptured by the train, attempting to push it around and pushing the number buttons.  After that, he figured out how to snap the letters into place.  Now, it's something he turns to regularly, usually every day.  It's a battery-operated toy, complete with borderline obnoxious music, but it's one of the best toys we have, enriching even more now because A knows quite a few letters.

Music table.  This is another toy that has stood the test of time.  I purchased one as soon as A could pull up on things, and he was mightily entertained by the music, textured plastic, and even a little compartment where I kept puffs.  When he received a second music table for a first birthday present, I almost returned it, thinking we didn't need another.  I debated sending it to Texas to keep at my dad's house, but my laziness kicked in and I decided I'd add another toy to the repertoire.  As it turns out, he far prefers it to the original table, and dances to the various musical options every. single. day.  I'm so glad we kept it. Note: We still loved our first table, and I think it's a bit more interesting.

Balls.  This may seem a bit obvious, but I felt I had to include it anyway.  We have a wide assortment, from a solid basketball to soft pillow balls.  It never needs to be fancy-A's favorites are probably the super cheap balls we indulge him with on trips to Safeway.

Cars. Also a bit obvious, but just as much a part of the play routine.  We have many, and while some of my favorites are the fun B cars pictured above, A's might be the drugstore Superman car his dad picked up for him while we were on vacation last week.  

None of these suggestions are particularly special, but they have all continued to provide A with loads of entertainment.  Next topic: toddler essentials for dinner time!

barefoot contessa's roasted shrimp with feta

Last week I had an out-of-the-ordinary appointment that required a bit of a wait.  I had not yet eaten that day, and at the office where I sat impatiently, the television was tuned to the Food Network, a special kind of torture for someone as starving and prone to low-blood sugar attacks as myself.  I watched longingly as Ina Garten set about in her typical effortless fashion, making lunch for a friend that was of course enjoyed in an immaculate spring setting off the porch at the Hamptons home, complete with vases bursting with pristine hydrangeas.  Oh, Ina, I love you, but you are a bit predictable.

I've written before about Ina's bewitching presence.  Her voice is sort of low and syrup-y, with no discernible accent, just languid and dreamy.  Nothing ever takes very long in her kitchen, there are always loads of butter and cocktails, and her dinner guests (or darling husband, Jeffrey) find themselves sitting at beautifully set tables, surrounded by sparkling silver and fresh flowers.  Ina has inevitably had the foresight to prepare the dish long in advance, which means she spends all of her time at lunches/dinner parties/picnics/brunches chatting with her friends.  When you watch her, not only are you completely drawn into her presence, you become convinced that you too, can pull off a meal with such grace and aplomb as Ina.  An episode of Barefoot Contessa is a soothing as a cup of nice, steaming tea, and will leave you undoubtedly feeling inspired.  Of course, we can't all be as organized or skillful as Ina, but that thought is far from your mind once you've spent a half hour with her.

Needless to say, when I printed out this recipe yesterday, I wasn't sure if the real reason I wanted to try it was because I was unreasonably hungry the day I watched the episode featuring it, or if I might have just been in an Ina fog.  I like all of the ingredients on their own, enjoy Mediterranean flavors in general, and am certainly a huge fan of roasting my entire meal in one pan.  It wasn't with trepidation that I began the preparation, I just simply worried that it might not be as flavorful or filling as we wanted for our dinner.  I was in a bit of a rush (toddler-induced, of course) and I didn't even follow some of the directions properly (sauced the shrimp with lemon BEFORE putting in the oven, sprinkled the feta on TOP of the breadcrumbs instead of the other way around).

You guys, the final result was stupendous.  So. Incredibly. Delicious.  The delicate flavor of the fennel married perfectly with the tomato, lemon, and parsley to create a base for the shrimp that was mildly spicy, and the briny nature of the shrimp was countered by the salty feta, which, by the way, tasted especially amazing with its nice, toasty brown top.  Of course, the breadcrumbs, accented with threads of lemon zest, gave the entire dish the homey feeling that I love.  I will also admit that it wasn't a particularly fussy production.  The fennel does need to saute for a bit, but you can easily prepare the crumb topping or wash dishes while you're waiting.  The whole thing could definitely be finished in 45 minutes, maybe less if you're super speedy.  I suggest you make it immediately.

choosing sides

Far into the future, in the days when I long to recall what trivial pleasures possessed my mind during my (relative) youth, I feel confident that I will have great pleasure (and a laugh, no doubt) when I look back here on my scrapbook-of-sorts and see my ridiculous obsession with Twilight and its star-crossed leads.  While I won't delve into the absurd lengths my interest led me (hint: I drove thirty miles once to see a poorly-acted indie starring Robert Pattinson), I feel that I simply can't let the latest personal scandal go by without weighing in.  Unless you've been living under a rock for many years, you must know about the crazy fandom surrounding Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson and their real-life relationship.  And unless you've been living under a veritable pile of boulders, you probably know about the cheating scandal.  I won't go into further detail there-suffice to say, K-Stew became involved with her married director, was caught flagrantly canoodling with him in public, made an uncharacteristically revealing statement professing her love for Rob post-affair, and he took her back, up until about a month ago.  Just so you know I have a sense of humor and am not a psychotic fan, here is a little recap provided by Will Ferrell that brings me great joy.  

Anyway, after giving it a bit of thought and watching how it's played out so far, I have determined that it's time to choose sides.  

source

That's right.  Team K-Stew.  Now, before you protest with perfectly reasonable questions about why I could defend a cheating, notoriously awkward and camera shy individual with occasionally questionable hygiene habits, allow me to explain.  

1)First-she is 23 years old.  A young twenty-three at that.  More like 18 or 19 considering she is a child star that has never attended public school for an extended period, lived her entire life in a strange Hollywood bubble, and undoubtedly has suffered a little socially because of those factors.  This isn't Lindsay Lohan, or Britney Spears, and definitely not Amanda Bynes.  She is undoubtedly naive, probably slightly immature, and made an egregious error in judgment that many with more stability in their lives have made before her, all in the midst of strife at her otherwise solid home. Her now ex-boyfriend is 27.  

2)Family problems.  Stewart's parents (both in the biz) had been married for over thirty years, and divorced shortly after the cheating scandal.  You should know that for the four years-plus of their relationship, KS and RP went to great lengths to avoid being photographed together in any kind of intimate fashion.  Fans salivated over the tiniest touch of a hand on an arm.  My Lainey affectionately referred to them as "dumpster-divers", literally willing to jump into a dumpster to avoid being photographed together. And yet, Stewart was caught with her director in broad daylight, near a city park, and not even far from her own home.  It's not hard to believe that she wasn't in the best frame of mind given her family drama, and might have been taken advantage of while she was vulnerable by her older, more experienced director. 

3)Talent.  Ok, so this is a superficial point to grant K-Stew, but let's face it.  She is vastly superior to R-Pattz when it comes to acting ability.  Nay-sayers, I point you to Into the Wild and The Cake Eaters.  She's solid, even though she has some tics that definitely need to go.  I wouldn't say that Rob is a terrible actor, but so far he hasn't shown us anything miraculous.  I think he's getting by with a pretty face, British charm, and general affability.  

4)Post-split behavior.  This is what really made up my mind.  Obviously, no one knows the real details surrounding the break-up, but the pair truly are in the public eye, whether they like it or not, and neither opted to stay at home after the split.  They've each been seen a few times, out with friends.  RP kept company with Katy Perry, a mark against him not so much because of the previously-established friendship but because of the obvious attention it draws towards him.  Also, Katy is still dealing with John Mayer.  So by association I'm already grossed out.  But, sadly, this isn't the worst part.  Rob decided to move out of the home he shared with Kristen in the middle of the day, driving a truck the opposite of nondescript and loading the back with luggage and belongings stuffed in trash bags.  It's very difficult to think this was anything but a calculated move.  He could have hired any number of professionals to do the moving for him, and even if he did want to do it himself, certainly knew that he's a primary target for the paparazzi that are undoubtedly stalking the neighborhood.  No, he telegraphed that move out for the "world" to see.  Stone cold.  

So there you have it.  My thoughts regarding the Twilight saga's true life saga.  Yes, I wrote an entire post about it.  I should be ashamed.  

Tomorrow I'll post about something useful, like a delicious dish for dinner or list of practical items for entertaining a rambunctious toddler.  

you need to see this: Luther

I've admired Idris Elba since his undeniably memorable stint as Stringer Bell on The Wire, arguably one of the best television series ever produced.  If you've not seen it, I heartily admonish that you head to your library, post haste, and borrow the whole thing.  The library is a great place to find the show, because it certainly isn't streaming on any major service, and, as usual for HBO fare, is extremely expensive.

This post isn't about The Wire, but instead to share Luther, the BBC series starring Elba as the eponymous John Luther, a troubled, savvy police detective.  I'm always fascinated by foreign television series-it's interesting to see how they differ from ours (you might be interested to know that American television is typically much more violent).  Luther is unique in that there is a recurring would-be villain, played by Ruth Wilson, an actress with a startlingly bewitching face.  Wilson's character, Alice Morgan, has an ongoing cat-and-mouse relationship with Luther, who finds himself constantly struggling to rise above the darkness of his job.  It's not an action-packed series, but instead focuses on the psychological intensity of its primary characters.  The season three trailer just aired, but you can catch the previous seasons (which are both quite short) on Netflix.

what I'm reading now

Lest you all think I've abandoned my own reading habits, I've decided to post a few of the great books I've devoured this year.  My list should come with a disclaimer: with one exception, all of these books were read for what I like to call "pure entertainment value."  There is no East of Eden here, in other words.  In the midst of working on my thesis, I've taken to reading lighter fare-I'll often sit with my book or Kindle (which I have taught A to call "mommy's book") while my little guy plays, a pastime that wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable or successful if I were reading something that required a bit more attention.

In the Woods, Tana French. A totally riveting Irish detective thriller that I could not put down.  It's like a better version of The Lovely Bones, and much more complex than most average titles in the genre.  Tana French has several other titles to her name, but I've heard from a very reputable source (sister-in-law H) that it's the best.

The End of Your Life Book Club, Will Schwalbe. The subject is certainly sad, but I found the reading of this memoir therapeutic, given my own life experiences.  Will Schwalbe writes of the informal "book club" formed between himself and his mother Mary Ann as she goes through treatment for stage iv pancreatic cancer.  They read everything from Herman Wouk's Marjorie Morningstar to Mohsin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist to Stieg Larson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  Every chapter is based on one central book, neatly interwoven with the conversation between mother and son.  Usually, the subject matter of one book leads to discussion about others, and in the midst of it all, Will Schwalbe is the recipient of a wonderful gift-the opportunity to spend time with his mother, unobstructed by the inevitable stresses and hustle and bustle of daily life.  There are several books that I became intrigued about reading after finishing the book, and I took it upon myself to find an appropriately old copy of Daily Strength for Daily Needs, the devotional that Mary Ann clings to throughout her treatment. In the preface to Mary Ann's 1934 edition, bishop William Lawrence wrote "Since this little book was published empires have fallen, theologies have been rewritten, wars have been fought and standards of life have changed, but men are still men, their yearning in times of disaster for comfort is still keen and the call for courage strong..." Gems like this one from the selected novels in  the book club are scattered throughout the memoir.

The Stand, Stephen King.  I've figured out that I am a sucker for end-of-the-world, dystopian futures, plague-infested type novels.  See The Passage, The Twelve, Divergent trilogy, World War Z, etc.  The Stand is probably the grandfather of all these other works.  A massive tome, particularly when you choose the uncut version, which includes some hundreds of pages not part of its original publication, I was in a funk for days when I finished it.  There is definitely some meandering, which is not unusual given the sheer volume of the work, but for the most part, I was completely intrigued from start to finish.  I've only read a few of Stephen King's books (Misery and The Shining), but they pale in comparison.  Even though I know it won't be the same, I'm going to start Under the Dome soon, if only to recover from finishing The Stand.

Life after Life, Kate Atkinson. My gossip guru, Lainey Gossip, is not only the source of infinite knowledge regarding celebrities but is also quite well-versed in compelling fiction. She wrote about Life After Life and described how she read through it in one busy traveling weekend, taking it with her everywhere, from elevators to press conferences.  It is the never-ending story of Ursula Todd, who seems fated for death throughout her life.  My beloved sister-in-law H likened it to A.S. Byatt's The Children's Book-naturally I immediately purchased that one too.

The Twelve, Justin Cronin.  I waited with baited breath for The Twelve, the second book in Justin Cronin's trilogy.  I've written about the first title, The Passage, in passing, and while it would be useless to provide a decent plot summary that would not make me sound crazy (search for the cure for cancer/eternal life leads to disastrous consequences, turning vast majority of the population into zombie/vampire hybrids), I can say that yet again, I am in a state of anxious anticipation for the eventual release of the third and final book.