hello dear kids

My friend Devon turned me on to the Etsy shop Hello Dear Kids. Such cuteness!

Girls Winter Coat

Tree Dress

Red Dress

Quilt Vest

Autumn Dress

Bear Pajamas

Bowtie Dress

djuna at 3 months

Djuna at 3 months is all sweetness and smiles. She's a great sleeper, going to bed around 8pm and waking up at 4am for early morning nurse sessions. She loves Stella; Djuna watches her with big, wide eyes, and smiles whenever Stella looks her way or plays near her. She loves being talked to and smiled at, and she goes anywhere and does anything without much fuss. 

We lucked out big time with this kid. She is dreamy.

six decades of the most popular girl names, state-by-state

Six decades of the most popular girl names, state-by-state. Interesting patterns, right?

 

See more years mapped over at Jezebel.

happy friday links

Sheeps by Meagan Donegan

I can't wait to read the new Donna Tartt.

Cookies! Shayna texted me about these yesterday and Stella and I promptly set to work making them.  We put in half the curry recommended but added cardamom and chocolate chips as we didn't have shredded coconut. They're so good!

On the topic of cookies... How Oreos Work Like Cocaine.

Ads use Real Google Searches to Show the Scope of Sexism Worldwide.

Are you watching the new season of Homeland? I'm continually impressed by how the creators of this show make each character's point of view so very believable. And the acting! 

Abandoned: Mark Twain Branch Detroit Public Library.

Hurray for a new Wes Anderson film.

Ace Hotel now in Shoreditch.

Banksy NYC.

clog boots

I love 'em.

swedish hasbeens zip it emy

bryr abilene boot

silly love songs

This song has been on repeat in my head for almost a week now, ever since I heard it playing at one of my local coffee shops. Here's to a love-filled Monday.

on getting older

I still get carded occasionally. 

Two summers ago when we were in Michigan I ran out to the store to get lighter fluid and and a lighter for the bbq. I forgot to bring my ID and when I told this to the cashier, the teen asked me, in all seriousness, if I was over 18. "I'm over 30 if it makes a difference," I told him. "No way..." he said, again, in all seriousness. I paused to gauge if he was for real. "Way," I told him. As I walked out with my lighter fluid I felt at once imbued with a youthful glee (he thought I was 18!) and an adult apprehension (shit, do I look and dress like an 18-year-old?!).

Over the weekend I was buying beer and was again carded at the register. The woman ringing me up looked at my ID, looked up at me, looked back at my ID and said, "you look like you could be my age." Oh great, here we go I thought. "Oh really," I said pleasantly, "how old are you?" "I be 30," she said with a nod of her head. "Okay..." I replied. "That's cool..." 

30, huh? Must be having a second kid. My age seems to be catching up with me.

[painting: hope gangloff]

a few weekend links

YUM.

I turn 35 in November. Gah! I think I'm going to make this ice cream cake to celebrate. Nothing says happy birthday like an ice cream cake, right?!

Eat, Pray, Love, Get Rich, Write A Novel No One Expects.

Super cute kids sandals.

I'm seriously crushing on these Ali Golden bags. My friend Melissa has one and every time I see her I covet it...

Saying goodbye at preschool has been a challenge. I appreciated this Motherlode post on easing the transition and separation anxiety.

This adorable book is one of our favorites at the moment.

TED Talk 2012 Flashback: Chip Kidd. Designing books is no laughing matter. OK, it is.

Can't wait to go to this new Oakland beer hall.

Fall is in the air. The dusklight sweater.

Domino Magazine is back.

[photograph credit: ashley of not without salt]

broadchurch

I'm always on the lookout for good BBC dramas and last week I found Broadchurch. We blazed through the 8-episode series in less than a week. It's a beautifully executed murder mystery set in a small town on the coast of Britain. And I mean beautiful. Some of the visual sequences were absolutely stunning... Watch it for that reason alone.

djuna :: 10 weeks

Djuna is one happy, smiley baby.

best lunch box ever

For the record, I never thought I'd be writing a post about school lunches. But, well, here we are...

 

Now that Stella is in preschool three days a week, I think about her lunch in a whole new way. Way more than necessary, in fact. I'm pretty lazy when it comes to lunches at home. Quesadilla with black beans and avocado 3 days in a row at home is okay in my book, but I can't bring myself to pack the same thing for her lunches 3 days a week knowing that her teachers unpack her lunchbox and I'm supposed to be sending her with a well-rounded, nutritious meal.

Which is why I'm excited my friend Jen brought me a special treat at our park date last week: Katie Sullivan Morford's Best Lunch Box Ever. Jen did all the lovely photography for the book and it was published by Chronicle (the company I worked for before having Stella) which means the book itself is beautiful. Here are a few shots of recipes I'm looking forward to trying.

Asian Slaw

Sweet Potato Quesadilla

Date, Cream Cheese, Spinach Wraps

Sour Cherry Oatmeal Bars

Also, check out Jen's recent recipe on Design*Sponge for Wild Mushroom Risotto. Yum!