domesticity

The next time I am at the grocery store, I need to remember to look for the new Foxy Caulicolors. In addition to the fun color, the purple cauliflower reportedly has nearly 10 times the level of antioxidants than traditional white cauliflowers. I just love the vibrant purple, orange, white, and green colors of these florets.

I finally got a chance this weekend to watch the first two episodes of the new AMC series MAD MEN. Set in 1960s New York, the drama focuses on the lives of those working in an advertising company on Madison Avenue. It’s interesting to see the functions of the workplace in that era… the office politics, clothing styles, and technology. I especially loved when one of the secretaries is being shown the ropes on her first day and is told… “Try not to be overwhelmed by all this technology,” as a plastic cover is removed from an IBM electric typewriter. “It looks complicated, but the men who designed it made it simple enough for a woman to use.” This is definitely going to be a must-see show for me.

I’ve never owned a pair of Dr. Scholl’s Original Wood Sandals, although I have heard stories about how comfortable they are. Yesterday’s episode of Martha Stewart featured a segment on decorating a pair of these sandals using acrylic paint and a little imagination. The directions were simple and the results were so cute that I can’t wait to get a pair of my own to embellish!

I am severely green thumb challenged, but that doesn’t keep me from wanting to surround myself with lovely plants and flowers. I especially like the simple style of the Garden in a Glass. This adorable miniature living garden would be perfect for any room in my home.

Walk Score is a nifty tool that calculates the “walkability” of an address based on their proximity to grocery stores, restaurants, movie theaters, schools, libraries, and more to provide an idea of how pedestrian-friendly a neighborhood is. Not surprisingly, my score was only a 20 out of 100 (virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range) since I live in a relatively new subdivision. Hopefully the walkability of my neighborhood will increase as the area develops.

I love the Kamibashi String Doll Gang! Each doll is handmade in Thailand using one continuous piece of string and comes with unique super powers. I bought one for each of my sisters last year, but failed to purchase one for myself. I’ve been looking at all the different versions... only problem is that I can’t decide which one to get!

I finally got a King County library card! I applied online and received the card via snail mail a while ago, but only made it to the library this past weekend to activate my card. I ended up leaving with seven books… some knitting books containing a few patterns I wanted to try and a couple of light summer reading fiction books. I didn’t even wander through most of the library stacks!

I stayed up late last night to finish reading one of the books (Something Blue by Emily Giffin) and made color photocopies of the knitting patterns I wanted to try. I can’t wait to go back and spend more time perusing the shelves.

I need to start keeping a list of books to look for and read this summer… any recommendations?

Now that my husband is back from his Alaskan fishing trip, we’ve been eating fish, fish, and more fish. He brought back over 100 pounds of halibut, black cod (butterfish), and five different types of salmon. Our freezer is completely full! My favorite of the fish dinners so far was the miso butterfish… yum! Anyone have any good fish recipes to share?

I stumbled across the Hey Paula reality television show while channel surfing. After a while of watching the episode, I had to change the channel. All Paula does on the show is whine… whine about how hungry, unappreciated, and hardworking she is. And that’s not even a full list of all the little things she was complaining about. Ugh. How this show is supposed to be entertaining is beyond me.

I have wanted a filing system for all my greeting cards, but have never found one that I really like. Either the design of the box isn't one that I would want out on the desk and not hidden away somewhere (leading me to forget to actually use it) or I didn't like the filing system that came with the box. That being said, I really like the Fresh Style Card File in robin's egg blue by Cecily Ink. Not only is the box stylish and beautiful, but I also like the simple filing system. The box also comes with twelve cards, six of them are printed letterpress... my favorite!

For a limited time, Cecily Ink is offering free shipping via USPS on orders totalling $50 or more... just enter shipme at checkout. There are so many adorable items on this site (like the postage stamps) that I don't think I will have any trouble meeting the free shipping requirement!